Under the Willow Tree
by sortacrazi
Summary: AU. Two kindred spirits meet one day beneath a willow tree, and their fates entwine. A slice-of-life (ish) Bumbleby fic spanning their lives together. Fluffiness. Drama. Crime. Slowburn. Whiterose garnish. Rating for language and potentially explicit scenes.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Patch was a small town. There were only a couple thousand people, a single movie theater, only a handful of schools, a tiny wealth of places to work, and, well, you get the idea. It was a small paradise on an island just off the mainland, and there were probably more trees than any other living thing – even throughout the town. During fall, the town was one of the most beautiful places a person could find. The trees would turn a bright, vibrant red before shedding their leaves, covering the entire town in a dense blanket before the winter. The whole town would have to come together to clean it up, and that was one of the most charming parts of Patch – the community.

Yang walks down a little path, tarmac nearly overrun with grass and dandelions, and crunched-up pieces of dead leaves. The path follows a river that cuts through the island, and during the day is usually completely unoccupied. Sometimes she would miss a class just to come down this path when life got a little bit too loud for her. She likes the noise, the party life, but even the wildest of people had to take a moment to relax. To slow down.

There's a little spot she likes, right at the edge of town. The river makes a sharp bend out towards the ocean and as if to mark this spot, a decades-old willow tree that stretches taller than any tree in the area stands. It has thick tresses of leaves which are just starting to turn yellow with the season. It's always the last tree to turn, despite being in full sunlight nearly every year. There was a little bench on the far side of the path that made for some quality pictures, but Yang always prefers to sit beneath the tree.

Today, however, she's not the only one. As she mounts the little hill before the foot of the tree, in her spot of flattened long grass is a girl with black hair. She wears a dark bow, and a white blouse with frills down the center, along with tight blues jeans with rips along the front of the thighs. Yang's lilac eyes widen ever so slightly. She's new to Patch, and of course, everyone had heard that there would be a new family moving in soon. She must've been their kid…

A crisp ocean breeze washes over them, rustling the leaves of the willow tree. Yang glances up to see the long branches spin in on themselves, yellow and green dancing together above them. The scent of salt and cut grass fills the air. As some time passes, Yang finally realizes with a blush that she's just been standing there.

Taking a couple steps forward, Yang drops her school bag at the tree's exposed root system. Another bag sits there as well, and she guesses it was the girl's. Turning towards the river, Yang steps forward quietly until she's beside the dark-haired girl. She sees that her eyes are closed, her chest rising and falling steadily. She looks peaceful. Yang plops down in the long grass beside her, stretching her legs out and looking down the long, flowing river in front of them.

After a moment, the girl murmurs, "I was wondering what you were going to do."

Yang glances towards her. Light dances across her face as the leaves rustle in the wind. The girl doesn't open her eyes, but Yang wears a small smile anyway.

Neither of the girls realized it then. For them, two strangers meeting would be just as regular as any other encounter. There was a force at work on them in that moment, however. A bond that formed without them knowing. And later in life, they would wonder at fate and the events that drove a boisterous blond and a quiet noirette to meet that day under the willow tree.


	2. Chapter 1

Part One: High School

Chapter 1

Late in the spring of her grade nine year, her mother died in a car crash. Yang and Ruby had both been in the car as well, polluting the back seat with laughter over a party they'd just been to. Their mother was infuriated with them. They'd promised the party would be safe, and while neither of them had tried any of the drugs at the party, Summer wasn't at all enchanted with the people they'd hung out with that night. So, when Summer's attention split from the road for a second to lecture them, they hit a huge puddle in a small dip in the road. Hydroplaning out of control, the car spun over and over until they slammed into a tree.

Summer's funeral was a day after the event, and neither of the girls could hold it together. Their father did things mechanically, and when the funeral was over, he shut off. He stopped working, or doing anything at all. Qrow, Yang's uncle and Taiyang's close friend, was around a lot then. He helped support the household and kept Ruby clothed and fed. Yang had gotten a job to lessen the strain.

Yang worked full time during the summer as a gas bar attendant/automobile mechanic apprentice with a man named Junior, who owned the place. Junior was a good guy, an entrepreneur with a heart, as dedicated to Patch and the town as anyone else. When he hired Yang on as a gas attendant, he'd heard about what happened to her family. He was one of the only people who understood, having lost family himself when he was still young. He kept Yang's schedule loose, asking she come in at least four times a week, which was just fine by her.

A single shift typically kept her out of the house an entire evening, and sometimes even into the early morning, though that was rare. Ruby would come out to visit or stay with her during a shift, which Junior didn't mind at all. He would've hired her, too, if she had been old enough to work legally. Later in the summer, Ruby would inject herself into the work as well, asking what different parts did. Yang, a quick study, had no problems with teaching her the workings of a vehicle and how to fix certain things.

"So did you end up getting into the shop classes you wanted?" Yang asks one night, with her head buried under the hood of an old shopkeep's decades-old Chrysler. It would've been a really nice car, had the man taken care of it. On the bottom, there were exposed, rusted out pieces of the muffler and a cat converter on its way out the door. In the engine, there were some leaking vacuum hoses, and a serious oil sludge problem, but it wasn't anything Yang couldn't fix.

On the other side of the shop, Ruby tinkers with a couple of spare pieces of thing-a-jigs that Junior left for her on his way out. "No. They said I was too young to work shop. You have to be at least fifteen."

Ruby, a thirteen year old with something like genius level intellect, had skipped the fourth and sixth grade, landing her in the same year as Yang. She started high school at twelve, two years earlier than most, and was going into the tenth grade at Signal Academy.

"Figures," Yang grumbles, trying to push a comb through troughs of oil gunk. "Oh well. You can take some in your senior year. Or take a fifth year, if you're really that interested."

"Hmm."

The season passed quickly. Too soon, they were waking up to frost in the mornings and walking to Junior's garage in the dark.

In the middle of August, Qrow moved his private investigation business into Patch from Vale, and moved into their house. Working closer to them allowed him to take care of Taiyang while the girls went to school. He brought some of his investigations home with him, which seemed to spark a little interest from Taiyang, a cop who'd been on leave for grief.

Labor Day weekend comes and goes, and school begins immediately after.

Yang and Ruby walk to school together. They leave early to walk along the river path, passing under the shade of the willow. Birdsong is loud and beautiful that morning, cut by the sharp honking of geese in the water, and piercing cry of a loon somewhere in the distance.

When she isn't paying attention, Ruby charges into Yang's back. The blond stumbles for a couple of steps, struggling to maintain her balance. Her eyes go wide when she nearly gets a face full of tarmac, but she isn't angry, hearing Ruby dissolve into adrenaline-filled laughter.

"I'm sorry!" the redhead yells, her arms hooking around Yang's neck. "I forgot back packs are heavy."

Yang just rolls her eyes, sliding her hands around Ruby's legs to lift her up. She wears a laptop bag instead of a huge back pack like Ruby, so it's easier for her to adjust to the new weight hanging off her shoulders.

"Do you think we'll have classes together this semester?" Ruby wonders out loud, her chin resting on the blonde's shoulder. She smells of milk and cookies, Yang notices.

"Maybe, what were your electives again?"

"I took another year of French, art and also world religions."

"Isn't that an eleven course?"

" _Yes_ , but I want to take world cultures next year, so I need some eleven courses."

"You're growing up too fast," Yang mumbles. "But I have another French, too. So we might have a few together."

"Electives are more fun to take with others than compulsories are," the younger sibling murmurs.

The walk to school is about twenty minutes long, but Yang doesn't rush. A lot of people give her weird looks as she starts getting closer to the academy, raising an eyebrow at the sisters as they go by. She doesn't care. If her baby sister wants a piggy back ride, she gets a piggy back ride. A lot of familiar faces flow around them.

Yang and Ruby had lost touch with a lot of their old friends from their first year. Of course, the redhead pretty much follows the blond into any friend group she finds herself in, but Yang wants to make a change in her life for the better. No more shady, sketchy friends. No more drugs, no more breaking the rules. Her mother didn't die for no reason.

Not that they were very good friends to begin with. When Yang simply stopped showing up to parties, none of them had bothered to check in on her or her sister.

 _Screw 'em._

The cost of a gram could buy her and her sister a couple packages of cookies, which Ruby would enjoy more anyway.

Ruby kicks out her foot to open a door in front of them, and Yang carries her through the halls. Her muscles start to ache a bit but she doesn't mind, enjoying the challenge. They navigate through the students rushing to their classes to get to the list in the cafeteria, which told them which classes they'd be going to.

"Aw, math," Ruby grumbles, sticking her bottom lip out. "On the fourth floor, too."

Yang glances around at the papers, making a face when she realizes someone in the guidance office screwed up her last name again. For some reason, they think her middle name is Xiao, instead of realizing her last name is Xiao Long. So she looks under the "L" surname list and sure enough, there's Long, Yang Xiao.

"English for me. Cool."

Ruby groans.

English is one of Ruby's favourite courses, because she likes stories and talking about the different paradigms of the world. The class is pretty well lost on Yang, who prefers more hands-on and gym classes.

The sisters part ways as Ruby heads to the top floor and Yang just makes a turn around the corner. Her class is out in the second building. She has to cut through the track yard to the smaller building on the other side, cutting through the smoker pit in the back of the school. A couple of people call her name and whistle for her, but she pretends like she doesn't hear them, walking a little faster. She doesn't have time for people who were just fake friends, anyway, and they'd probably get over her cold shoulder in a day by simply passing it off as her just being a giant bitch or some other variant.

Yang's converse soak through when she walks through the grass, the dew lapping up at her jeans. When she gets to the next building, which is practically covered in graffiti art and motivational messages painted on the sides of the building, she swings open the colorful door.

The second building was the home of all the arts and humanities courses. There are two floors in total, the first one made mostly of studios and music rooms, but the top floor is class rooms for history, English, and some social sciences. The halls are more decorated than the original building, the brick painted over and several paintings hung up. The school made a point of having the art classes come together to make a piece for the end of the year, and they made some pretty interesting things.

Last year, the classes had made a statue out of clay of the school's mascot – a griffon. She wonders how long it took to make, let alone how much time it had to be in a kiln to get firm. They didn't quite finish it, as the griffon is still grey and unpainted, but it was a pretty cool center piece for the main hallway.

Yang climbs the stairs and finds her class room fairly quickly. Though the teacher isn't in, the door is wide open. Oobleck had a habit of that, leaving his class room door open for any early kids to come in and find a seat. She appreciates it, taking for herself a window seat.

She's not the only one with the same idea.

A girl with black hair and a bow in her hair sits a row or two from the back, and Yang takes the seat in front of her, not wanting to be too far from the front or too close. She recognizes the girl as being the one that had taken her spot last year under the tree, but decides to keep this information to herself. The girl's golden eyes drift from the window to her as she takes a seat, and for a while, Yang feels an itch in the back of her neck like she's being stared at.

Smoothly, she takes a look back, and sure enough the girl is just looking out the window. A little embarrassed, Yang turns back around, sliding down low in her chair and crossing her legs.

Not much time passes until people start piling into the room. A faunus boy with golden hair and a tail come into the room along with a blue-haired boy, and they sit next to each other and talk loudly. After them, a white-haired girl Yang recognizes as Weiss Schnee, came and sat front-and-center in the class room. As more and more pile in, Yang's attention drifts to what's going on outside the window. The path she and Ruby take to get to school runs in behind this building, so she can see others walking up the school the same way she did.

"Hey there!"

Yang turns, thinking it's for her, but notices that the golden-haired faunus was standing by the girl's desk behind her. She instantly goes back to looking out the window.

"Hello," comes the girl's response, disinterested but polite.

Yang smirks at that.

"You're new here, right? My name's Sun."

"Blake."

There's a pause following her greeting, because it was more of a dismissal than a welcome. Yang presses her lips together, trying to hold back any laughter or comment, a small part of her feeling bad for the guy.

"Uh, well, you know, maybe we should hang out sometime?" Sun tries. He sounds super uncomfortable. "I can show you around the school at lunch if you like. We can sit together, too."

"Thanks, but I'll pass."

 _Damn._

"O…oh."

 _Aw, poor guy._

Sun walks back to his desk, and Yang can't help but look over her shoulder at the girl. Her golden eyes flicker up to meet Yang's lilac, dark eyebrows furrowing in curiosity as she asks, "What is it?"

"Savage rejection," Yang replies, grinning at her. "I've never seen anyone get turned down so hard. Not Sun, anyway."

The girl, Blake, props her chin up with her hand. There's a spark of interest in her amber eyes, which Yang notice go dark at the ring, like amber. She has porcelain skin, and her cheeks tint a light pink as she questions, "Does it not happen often?"

"No."

"Hm. Why?"

Yang shrugs. "He's hot, I guess."

"You think so?"

"Not my type," the blond says, glancing over towards the kid in question. She laces her fingers together over her stomach. "But he's got nice skin. I'd kill for that kind of tan."

Blake chuckles softly, so quietly that Yang wonders if she might've imagined it. The conversation dies between them with that, but Yang doesn't mind. It took a lot of energy to be loud and come up with topics all the time! Sometimes, it was nice to just be able to be silent with someone.

When Oobleck finally comes in, the noise level has gotten pretty high. He makes a loud noise that silences pretty much anyone, and burns through an introduction at warp speed. He burns through his first couple of rules and regulations lectures and then suddenly says, "Now for your culminating!"

"Whoa, hold on," someone says in the other side of the class. They're trying to get their books out from their bag for something to write on.

When the kid gets his stuff together, Oobleck continues, "Your project will consist of a study into any book of your choosing. You will write a ten page essay with a partner that describes that piece through a specific lens – like feminist, post-colonial, etc. Any questions?"

"What's post-colonial?"

"We will learn that later in the class," Oobleck replies with a grin. "Don't worry much about it now. You have months to do this. And yes, I will be assigning your partners to you."

There's a collective groan among the students.

"Every first row, your partner is directly behind you."

Yang counts the desks towards her. She's in an odd, which makes her first. She glances behind her towards Blake, wiggling her eyebrow. "Howdy, partner."

"Hmm," is her response, her lips tugging upwards at the corners. She gives her a once over, amber eyes gliding analytically over her desk and her appearance. She exaggerates the movement, obviously kidding. "Could be worse, I guess."

"Thank you. I'm glad I'm not your least favourable option," Yang chuckles, turning back to the front.

Class goes on for an hour. The two don't talk much, but Blake makes an off-hand comment every once in a while that makes Yang smile or say something in return that makes Blake smile. They don't force conversation or push further – to Yang, it feels almost like Blake is trying to feel her out. She understands, being that she's doing the exact same thing. When the bell rings, Yang picks up her bag and says, "See you tomorrow."

"See you," she returns, threading her arm through her bag straps.

During Oobleck's quick introduction, he'd mentioned something about getting a schedule through e-mail. Sure enough, when Yang checks her phone, there's an e-mail from the school with a document attached. Once more, she crosses the school yard. It's a nice day out, the sun shining away the chill of the morning.

Her next class is science, which she has with her sister and Weiss again. There are a couple other people she knows in class, not as friends, but she's seen them around. Ruby takes a seat in front of her, at the front row. She's stiff as a board, her chin held high and her shoulders poised.

Yang laughs softly. "Ruby, calm down."

"They're judging me," she hisses back without looking.

Taking a look around the room, she notices a couple of people pointing Ruby out and hears her name being tossed around a little. Rolling her eyes, she puts a hand on her baby sister's shoulder and squeezes gently.

"You're awesome stuff, Rubes," the eldest comforts. "Let them talk about you. They're jealous anyway."

"Huh? Why?"

Yang is about to answer when the teacher starts talking. The first classes are usually all the same. Rules, course content, culminating, and done.

Ruby scribbles down just about everything the teacher says, along with a single other girl in the class. Directly beside Ruby is Weiss Schnee, who sneaks glances at Ruby every time she finishes writing. The redhead doesn't seem to notice at all. Yang remembers a rumor or two about Weiss's famous competitiveness. Maybe that was why.

After class was over, Ruby spins around in her chair and fixes Yang with a hard look. "You're coming with me to the library."

"Nope," the blond replies.

She pouts. "Are you going to be around for the second half?"

Yang nods. "Yup. No skipping this year. Well, not as much."

"Promise?" Ruby holds up her left-hand pinky finger.

Immediately, the eldest raises her left hand and wraps her pinky finger around the girl's. "Mm-hmm."

That seems to be enough. The girl pops up and hop-skips out of the room.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Much like the last semester, Yang prefers spending her lunches at the willow tree. She rests in the little flat patch of long grass that she's carved out for herself over the years, enjoying the sounds of the rustling leaves, the birds, and the river. Propping herself up on her elbows, she watches the water move.

"You had the same idea, huh?"

Turning her head, Yang watches as Blake approaches from the pathway. The girl has a tired look in her eyes as she drops down beside the blond, dropping her bag beside Yang's. She flops onto her back gracelessly, letting loose a big sigh.

Grinning, the blond asks, "Rough second period?"

"That boy… Sun? He recovered from first period," the dark-haired girl murmurs. "He's the chatty type."

"I seem to recall being chatted up in first period," Yang retorts, eyebrow rising.

Blake smiles, one of her eyes opening to gaze at her. "You didn't ask me out."

"Is that an invitation?" the blonde shoots back, shimmying her shoulders and wiggling her eyebrows.

Her golden eyes crinkle at the corners and she laughs, so genuinely and pure that Yang can't help but join in. She's not sure if it's the laughter or the flirtation, but the girl's skin turns light pink at the cheeks. When they come down, Blake shakes her head and says, "You're not my type. But you've got nice skin."

"I don't think I gave you permission to use that one," Yang jokes, her eyes finding a flock of ducks drifting down the river. "Is stealing other people's jokes like some kind of a new, hip thing I haven't heard of?"

"Oh, you've never heard of Reddit?"

She smirks. "Good point."

They fall into silence. There's a sort of quiet comfort that emanates from Blake, like something about her just sings to Yang that she doesn't need to put up walls or protect herself. The banter was quick and witty, she loves every second. Finding someone who you can be yourself with, who can keep up the humor, that's a rare thing. She decides then and there; Blake's going to be her friend.

"So, what classes do you have the rest of the day?" the dark-haired girl asks, kicking one leg up over the other.

Yang wiggles up through the grass to reach her bag, flopping over onto her stomach. She flips the leather flap over and picks out the only paper inside, unfolding it and reading her schedule out loud, "Gym, and art."

"Huh." Blake also shimmies up beside her to take a look at her schedule. "We have the same courses except second period. Is gym co-ed here?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Huh. My old school wasn't like that. Segregated gym classes."

"You went to the Vale boarding school, right?" Yang asks, shoving her schedule back into the bag. When the girl's amber eyes fix on her curiously, she flushes a little and admits, "Oh, word spreads quick around here. We heard it was closing down and that we'd probably get more students."

"Small town antics," Blake comments. "Chatter and gossip."

"You have no idea," the blonde sighs. "Where are you from originally?"

Yang gets a good look at the girl's eyes when she's up close. Her pupils are slightly sharper than normal, her bright gold eyes smoldering around them. Suspicions nag at the back of her mind, but she doesn't ask, instead thinking about how beautiful they are. After a few moments, Blake seems to notice, and she drops her gaze a little as she answers, "I came from Mistral. Definitely bigger than Patch."

"No kidding," Yang replies with a grin. "My uncle worked in Mistral a few years ago before starting a P.I. business in Vale. He was a detective."

"Small world."

"Yeah," the blond says airily, dropping her chin onto her laptop bag. A yawn forces its way out of her, and her face twists and she covers her mouth. "Ugh. Okay. Feel like getting a coffee?"

Blake eyes her for a second before nodding. "Some place with tea, though."

"Sure."

Yang pops up and holds out a hand to help Blake up; the dark-haired girl gladly accepts. They chat the entire ten minute walk to town, the conversation carrying on easily and fearlessly. There's a little mom and pop café that Ruby would go crazy over, and Yang tells several stories of cookie-and-coffee mishaps that frequent her fondest memories of the place. Enjoying listening, the dark-haired girl would give queues to continue and chuckle in response to certain things. In return, Blake told stories about what it was like moving to Patch and going to school in Vale.

Yang learns that Blake's been in and out of foster homes pretty much all her life, but she's found one home in Patch that's pretty decent to her. Her foster dad worked at the Beacon boarding school, and is next in line for a position at a university in Atlas, but his home is in Patch, so she's allowed to stay at his house.

"So, love interests," Yang picks a topic as she hands the girl her peppermint tea. Blake's eyebrow rises a fraction at that. "Oh, come on, there's gotta be at least one."

"I'll tell you if you tell me first," she suggests.

"Fine."

They take a seat inside the café. There's still ten or fifteen minutes left to lunch before they have to walk back, so Yang isn't all too worried.

The café was contemporary, with an open concept sort of design and dark browns and light mocha colour themes, except the trim and the over-hanging light fixtures were white. The walls were made of a dark brown, almost black, brick and had huge pieces of twisting copper pipe art which span the length of at least ten meters. There were booths instead of stools or hard, plastic chairs, the cushions themselves a light chocolate color and comfortable as sin.

"I dated someone in the ninth grade," Yang starts, stirring her coffee with the stick they stick in the mouth of the lid. She enjoys the aromatic nuttiness of the hazelnut brew. Keen, Blake's eyes are on hers as she tells the story. Deciding there was really no way she could tell the story without some humor, Yang breathily whispers, "Teen girl's best friend is a boy. Everyone thinks they're dating – they don't. She's gay. He moves to Vale to be closer to his family."

Blake smiles. "I can top it."

"Do it," the blond invites, taking a sip of coffee.

"The hot, mysterious new boy at school says he's been watching the female lead," the girl responds, playing with the teabag string. "She calls 911."

Grinning, Yang adjusts in the seat, sitting up straight. "Seriously? Wow."

"Yeah, that happened," Blake murmurs, shaking her head. "But in all seriousness, there was one guy. Different guy, by the way."

"In Mistral?"

She bobs her head 'yes', tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Adam. We knew each other since we were young. He…fell in with a bad crowd."

Yang frowns. She doesn't push the story any further, letting Blake trail off when she needed to. In her own time, she'll open up.

"That was about two years ago. Serious, y'know, for thirteen year olds."

"How serious?"

"We dated for a year."

Blond eyebrows rise in interest. "That is pretty serious for thirteen year olds."

"Hm. Yeah…"

The atmosphere seems to darken, but Yang refuses to end this on a bad note. She taps the side of the table nearest to Blake and cheerfully exclaims, "Hey, don't look so glum. New place, new opportunities. You'll meet a guy who's good for you, don't worry. You've got nice skin, too."

The worrying expression on Blake's face melts into a warm smile. "Is this your thing? Cheering people up?"

"Nope!" Yang replies and stands up from the booth. She points with her chin towards the door. "Come on, we can take our time getting back."

This time, the conversation is slow and patient. They talk a lot about music, their mutual appreciation for oldies, particularly Elvis. The walk along the path back to the school, both equally reluctant to end their hang out.

Out of the blue, Blake comments, "I refuse to believe there's been no one for you."

Sheepishly, Yang scratches at the back of her neck. She gazes up at the clear sky, admitting, "Well, there's not too many girls our age who are gay, or who even might be considering a serious thing, or are out yet."

Blake shoves her hands into her trench coat pockets, watching her feet as she swings them forward with each step. If she's wearing makeup, it doesn't look like it, her eye lashes so thick and dark they cast a little shadow over her smoldering yellow eyes. She has high cheekbones and a small chin, her features slightly angular. Her eyebrows are high, elegantly arched and naturally dark.

When she smiles, it feels like victory. And she does again, laughing softly at something before she says, "It's still hard to believe. You're special."

"Huh," the blond utters, her shoulders rising and falling. "Well, maybe one day I'll meet someone as special and gay as me."

Blake smiles at her.

When they get to their gym class, they're greeted by a fairly small group of people. There's a ginger-haired girl that attracts attention to herself with her loudness, a vibrant red-headed girl who probably looks the most athletic of all of them, a blond guy with a nervous disposition, and Sun. More people were around, but those were the only ones who stood out to her. Yang and Blake stand a little off to the side. A teacher comes to greet them just a moment after the bell rings.

"Hey," the dark-haired girl murmurs as the teacher talks. "Be my partner."

Yang gives her a curious look. The teacher hadn't even asked for them to break down into partners yet.

Fidgeting, she murmurs, "Like, for this semester. You're the only person I know and you seem reliable."

 _Hah. Little do you know._

"Are you sure you don't want to branch out a bit?" the blond asks, throwing a suggestive look over towards Sun. The faunus is standing with his blue-haired friend from before, speaking under his breath and laughing. He notices her looking at him and raises his grey gaze to her, eyebrow rising a bit as a nervous, polite smile spreads across his face. "He seems nice."

"I need…distance. From that particular brand."

Yang shrugs. "Alright. I've got your back."

"Girls," the teacher interjects harshly. Her eyes are on them, and they shut up. After a moment of this, the teacher moves on and the two shoot a look that said 'that was weird' to one another. "If you're particularly athletic, you might be interested in participating in some of our team sports. Volley ball, football, soccer and basketball try outs start this week. There's also cheerleading and gymnastics next week."

Yang tunes out for the rest of the class. She's not really interested in sports much. She boxes here and there, but with working as much as she does, she doesn't really have the time to join a team. Much like the others, the class passes and she heads towards art class – back across the track field.

The studio is more colourful than pretty much everywhere else in the school. Peach, a teacher Yang had in her first year, taught art almost exclusively. Eccentric, to say the least. She was a pretty easy marker, though. Half-way through her little introductory blurb, Ruby explodes into the room along with Weiss Schnee. They glare at one another before Ruby marches over to Yang's other side, taking the seat beside her.

After Peach finishes talking, Yang notices Weiss and Ruby giving one another weird looks for a good half-an-hour.

Clearing her throat, Yang chirps, "Trouble in heaven, Rubes?"

On her other side, the dark-haired girl glances over at them from the corner of her eyes.

"Ugh," Ruby grumbles. Disgruntled, her nose wrinkles. "She's in like all of my classes. She hates me. Always gives me weird looks and last class, I asked a question that she said was dumb."

"Was it?"

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean that you go and point it out!" Letting out a big sigh, Ruby props her face up on her hands, her elbows resting on the table. Her grey eyes flick around the room until they fall upon Blake, and she questions, "So…who's this?"

"Oh, this is Blake!" Yang replies brightly, pushing herself away from the chair so they'd have a clear view of one another. "We have a lot of classes together, too. She's cool, though. So I guess I'll keep her around."

The comment earns a look from the other girl, her lips twitching up ever so slightly. Yang grins at her.

"Cool," Ruby provides, smiling at them. Suddenly, she grows serious, murmuring in a low voice, "Please take care of my sister. She's kind of a loner."

A sharp smack to the side is Yang's response. Ruby slaps her arm.

"You two are sisters?" Blake asks, unfazed by their shenanigans. "You look nothing alike."

"Well, half-sisters, technically," Yang explains, "Ruby's mom raised us. She's two years younger than us."

"Wow," the girl breathes, looking at Ruby with mild interest. "And you're already in high school. Impressive."

Ruby flushes. "Oh, stop it."

The class continues on, and the conversation only dies when Peach speaks up.

When it ends, the three of them walk out of the school together. They saunter slowly down the path until Blake has to go, and when they say their goodbyes, Yang can't help but watch after her as she walks away. The afternoon sun strikes her in such a way that her dark hairs shows brown highlights. Yang can't help but smile, a little bit proud and a little bit mystified, that she'd met Blake that day.

"She's pretty," Ruby comments quietly, noticing the look.

Snapping back to reality, Yang admits, "Yeah. She really is."

"Are you…interested?"

"Too early to tell, Rubes," the blond says, throwing her arm around her little sister's shoulder. "Too early to tell."

* * *

A/N: Was that painful for you? It was painful for me. Introductory chapters are the worst.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Yang."

"No."

"Yang."

"Junior," the blond repeats, she pushes herself out from beneath a car. Lilac eyes glare, though their edge is dulled by a smudge of oil on her cheek. " _No._ "

The man looms with his arms crossed over his chest, leaning against the side of the car she's working on. He scratches at his trimmed beard, his thick eyebrows furrowing as his grey eyes wander the ceiling of the garage. Gruff, he mutters, "I think it'd be good for you, is all."

"I need to work."

Junior scoffs at her. "You're too young to worry about that crap."

"That's life."

"That's crap," he shoots back, crouching down beside her. He gives Yang a good, long look. "Join a sport or something. It'll be good for you. Hell, it'll be good for your sister, too. She shouldn't be studying here every night."

"I'm okay!" Ruby chirps off to the side, her books long forgotten as she tinkers on the work desk.

"Not helping," the man grumbles. "You girls need lives. _Social_ lives."

Simultaneously, the sisters look at one another. Ruby kind of half-shrugs, her lips tugging down in confusion. Yang just kind of nods and shakes her head successfully, in a "yeah, I don't know what he's talking about" kind of way. They both look towards Junior again.

"We go to school?" the redhead provides hopefully.

"That's not enough. Girls your age should be… I don't know, shopping. Or playing Harvest Moon."

"Oh, I love Harvest Moon…" Ruby breathes longingly.

Sitting up, Yang props her elbows on her knees and furrows her brow. Junior holds her gaze, his lips set in a hard frown. Her gaze flicks between his two gray eyes for a moment analytically before she says, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to kick us out, Junior."

"Well, aren't you observant," he remarks dryly before standing up. He throws his arms out in defeat. "You're welcome here whenever. You know that. I just don't think that it's good you girls are here more than you're at home or out with friends. It's a damn shame that you kids were forced to grow up so quick. Ruby, you should at least be going to do some sports or something."

"That's lame," she replies. When he gives her a look, she defends, "What? People are icky."

"Ruby."

" _No._ "

"Ruby." Junior narrows his eyes at the girl, putting his hands on his hips. Thoroughly amused by the display, Yang watches as the two stare one another down. Ruby dissolves into a loud groan, tossing her head back dramatically.

" _Ugggghh_ , fine!"

Over his shoulder, the man throws Yang a victorious look before walking towards his office. Before he closes the door behind him, he shouts, "I better get an invite to a practice real soon, Ruby, or there'll be trouble!"

"I said 'fine'!" the redhead yells back.

The sisters smile at one another. None of the yelling or dramatics are serious, which is one of the bonuses of Junior. He took a position with them that neither authoritative nor unfriendly, as though he were their uncle or something, just looking out for them. He was a stable force in their lives, a reminder for the both of them that there was someone who had their backs.

It had been about a week since school started, and Junior wasn't wrong – they'd been at the garage every single night. Not that he'd scheduled Yang every day, just that they decided that's what they were going to do. The garage was an easy place to hang out, so Yang could lose herself in some work and Ruby could tinker and create new things with nondescript purposes. Today, she's playing with one of those old throw-a-way camera from the grocery store.

School itself was pretty boring, but she's had…encouragement. Blake and her had become fast friends – after all, they spent most of the day together. They made a habit of going to the willow tree during their lunches, maybe getting a coffee, maybe not. They hung out, and challenged one another – especially in gym. They'd played volleyball pretty much every day this past week – as their gym teacher was the coach for that team – and the two of them had gotten into a spiking match, ignoring pretty much the rest of their teammates. Yang had lost that one, smacking the ball so hard it flew into the rafters and smoked some unsuspecting guy in the face.

She wasn't the only one getting closer to Blake. Slowly, over the course of the week, Yang had somehow managed to encourage Blake into a new open-minded approach to a certain golden-haired faunus. Casual flirting and talking, which was good for her. Sun was a good guy, Yang decides, with a sense of humor and a carefree attitude. In their first period, he and his blue-haired friend, Neptune, had taken to sitting closer to them. It made for some fun conversations! They were all right.

Watching Blake come out of her shell was a victory in itself. Over the week, she'd learned that Blake is an avid drawer. She loves sketching, and carries around a sketchbook almost every day. One day, at lunch, she'd pulled out her sketchbook and went to town as Yang sipped at her coffee. She would glance over now and then, careful to be discrete.

"You know," Blake started suddenly, glancing over at the blond with amusement. "You don't have to pretend like you're not watching."

Yang blew air between her lips, letting out a perfect "pssshhtt" noise. "Please. I'm not the watching type."

"Uh huh," the artist replied with a roll of her eyes. She went back to sketching, shaking her head.

But Yang scooched a little closer for a better view, resting her face in her hand as Blake's moved with deft, swift skill across the paper. Her line work was precise, not a single pen-stroke out place as she worked. Something that seemed like a mistake to Yang's eyes suddenly became part of something beautiful and real – a branch, or some kind of ripple in water.

"Oh, you're drawing the river," Yang recognized with a smile. "It's pretty."

"Thanks," Blake said, nudging Yang's arm with her elbow. She paused for a moment, her eyes rising to look into Yang's. They stayed like that for a while, looking into one another's eyes, before the dark-haired girl admitted, "I feel really comfortable around you."

"Aww," Yang teased, playing off her reddening cheeks. "Are you being cute with me?"

She scoffed playfully and shot her a look. "Aren't I always?"

The thrill, the acceleration of her heart beat, come back to her as she recalls that particular memory. Even now, her cheeks darken and her mouth goes dry with nervous anticipation. Blake makes her feel special, even when she's not around. And Yang knows herself well enough that she can admit she's attracted to her. But, Blake wasn't gay, and with Sun currently pursuing her…she didn't want to get in the middle of a good thing. Blake was Yang's first friend in a while.

She wasn't about to screw that up.

Late that night, Yang and Ruby go home. Junior sees them out, wishing them a good night and saying, "See you tomorrow, then," as they leave despite the earlier conversation. Yang throws her arm around Ruby's shoulders as they walk home, and she throws her arm around the blond's waist in return. They rock back and forth over the sidewalk, silly-walking down the street.

"Weiss keeps being drama with me," Ruby comments as she pushes against Yang's side to keep them upright, their sway almost tipping them over a couple of times. "I feel like she hates me."

Yang frowns at that, squeezing her sister's shoulder. "Why would she hate you?"

"I'm…younger," the redhead murmurs, looking down. "She thinks I'm just a kid."

"We're all kids," the blond points out.

Sighing, Ruby drops her head against Yang's shoulder. Her brow is knit in the center with distress and sadness, her eyes glossy in the moonlight.

"Hey," Yang calls out her attention, earning her gaze. "Ruby, you are two years younger than us, and you worked your ass off in school to earn the two years you've skipped. It's not like they gave it to you for no reason. You're remarkable. And that…sometimes threatens people."

"Why?" the girl asks, her eyes widening.

"People can work at something for longer than others but there are always going to be younger, smarter individuals out there that can do that something better," Yang tells her, her thumb rubbing circles over the curve of the redhead's shoulder comfortingly. "That's a hard reality to live with for some people. And Weiss has always been the school's ace student – for as long as I've gone to class with her, anyway. She's just going to have to learn to live with it, and she will, sooner or later."

Ruby takes a moment to let that sink in before she asks, "So what do I do in the mean time?"

"Your best, like you always do," Yang states and pecks Ruby on the top of head. "And that'll be more than enough."

Ruby smiles up at her. "Thanks, Yang."

RUBY

The next day at school, Ruby can't focus on math. Her chin rests on her arms, which lay on her desk. Her silver eyes fix on one thing.

Weiss.

Sitting just across from her, she works at trigonometry like it's going out of style. She has her hair up in a ponytail that hangs off the side of her head, a little tiara-like adornment sparkling from her amazing platinum locks. Her florid, pink lips purse as she works. She has these bright, icy blue eyes that gleam cerulean when the light strikes.

Ruby wonders how it is any person so beautiful and perfect could ever possibly feel threatened by her. By dorky, silly, childish Ruby.

In the middle of the class, Weiss starts to notice that Ruby isn't working. She glances over at the redhead nearly twenty minutes to the bell, and double takes when she notices silver eyes staring at her.

"What?" Weiss asks, her voice a hiss. But her voice is practiced, like she knows exactly what it takes to make the right sound in any given moment. Does she sing? When Ruby doesn't answer, she questions once more, "Why are you staring at me? It's really creepy."

Blinking, Ruby straightens in her chair and scratches at the back of her neck sheepishly – a habit she picked up from Yang. "I, uh, well, it's just, you're really pretty today. I was wondering how you did your makeup. I was trying to figure it out. You know? Your contouring is on point. Mine sucks. Yang doesn't really wear much makeup so she can't really teach me how, but you-"

"Thank you," Weiss interrupts, eyebrows rising at the ramble.

Furiously blushing, Ruby turns her attention dejectedly to her own math work. _Smooth, Ruby. Smooth._

She's about to write something down when Weiss suddenly pipes up, "For the record, I've never seen anyone with eyes like your's."

Ruby meets her gaze and gives her a small, shy smile. For a moment, everyone else just falls away, and it's just the two of them in the room. A fumbling and dorky mess, and a perfectionist with an aloof streak. A young genius, and a dedicated beauty. She's never experienced anything like it before and she gets swept up in how surreal it seems, to be looking into Weiss Schnee's eyes like she holds the answers to the cosmos.

"You really have to stop that," Weiss murmurs, her cheeks dark with embarrassment as she turns her attention back to her work.

Grinning, Ruby gets to work, as well.

BLAKE

At the end of her second period class, Blake is eager. A bounce in her step, she walks towards the tree. Deflecting flirtations and navigating through a certain blond's teasing is confusing, and difficult, and it makes her head spin – but she wouldn't have it any other way. Yang wasn't exactly enigmatic but she was the most mysterious thing in the world. For the first time in a long time, someone in her life has stepped forward as a friend and it's the hardest thing in the world.

Because Blake is hiding something.

Beneath her bow is a pair of black secrets that she wants to share, twitching and tingling without control, especially in the presence of that blond girl from school. Friends shouldn't keep anything from one another, and she doesn't want to…but she's afraid.

"Hey, Blake!"

Pausing in her step, Blake turns to see Sun running across the track field to her. His white shirt is slightly too unbuttoned, exposing a little bit of his muscular chest as he approaches, tail swinging in behind him. He smiles brightly at her, and she smiles back at him.

"Hey Sun," she returns, turning to greet him. She can spare a moment before leaving. His spiky hair and his blotchy cheeks strike her as cute when he stops in front of her, breath hitched. "How was second period?"

"Good, good," he replies, stepping closer to her. "You… You going to go have lunch with Yang again?"

"Oh, yeah," she says, a little startled by the question. "If I don't defend my territory, she'll steal it."

Sun smiles at that. "Hah. You two are pretty close, huh?"

"Getting there, I think."

"Does she know that you're… y'know…"

Amber eyes widening a fraction, her second set of ears twitch. She knew it was pretty much impossible for faunus to keep their identities hidden from other faunus, being that their sense of smell could pick up on unique pheromones only their kind emits. Blake knew she wouldn't be able to keep it hidden from faunus, but for it to be mentioned so close to school…

"No, she doesn't."

"Oh," Sun states. He makes a couple of faces; one with his eyebrows furrowing, one with his bottom lip sticking out, one with his eyebrows rising. He shakes his head and settles on one, dipping his chin a little and gazing at her from beneath his lashes. "Well, that's not why I'm here anyway. I just remembered that there was this lame movie coming out soon, but I was thinking that you and me, not as lame, you know?"

Blinking, Blake tilts her head a little at that. "Are…you asking me out?"

"Yeah," Sun says, a charming grin on his face. "I was thinking that you weren't really my type, but you have pretty nice skin."

Blake chuckles, "I didn't think you heard that."

The faunus boy nods, looking into her eyes. "Yeah. I heard. Tomorrow?"

Narrowing her eyes a little, she keeps the nervousness off of her face as she turns around, saying, "I'll think about it."

But Sun doesn't mind, yelling after her, "I'll pick you up at 8 even if you don't text me!"

She waves in response, not trusting her voice to say anything then.

In that moment, all she can think about is that she needs someone's help. Sun had been good to her, and he was a nice guy, but she didn't know if she was ready. Her first relationship, her last one, was the most intense and scary experience she'd ever been through. The panic sets in and she starts to run, intense memories flashing through her mind of abuse and mistreatment. Her legs carry her past others, through long grass, through piles of leaves, and she isn't sure where exactly she needs to run to, but her subconscious knows before she can realize.

And she realizes only when Yang is standing in front of her. She skids to a halt, nearly slipping entirely because of the dampness of the grass. The blond is standing up, turning towards her, her vibrant lilac eyes immediately focussing with concern when she sees the expression on Blake's face.

"Yang," she almost sobs the name, her voice weak and quivering.

Yang steps to her instantly. Wrapping her up in a tight hug, the blond pulls the dark-haired faunus into a tight hug. Blake clings to her shoulders as soon as the opportunity presents itself, sucking in a deep breath. Yang's scent fills her nostrils, oranges and petrichor, sweet and earthy. It's comfort. It's stability. It's grounding. Her arms tighten just so around her waist, and she's never been hugged quite like this, in such a way that the hands on her back press just the right way to relax her muscles. She drops her head onto Yang's shoulder and lets out a breath.

"You're okay," Yang whispers, and it frees her.

Electricity crackles through Blake's body. Her entire being hums in response to the blonde, and she pulls away, feeling strong on her own two feet again.

"Thank you," she whispers, bashful. "Promise you won't laugh at me."

"You know I can't promise that," Yang responds, letting her arms drop to her sides. She smiles, and it's warm, gentle, and kind. Blake's heart melts in an instant, and she responds with a little glare that is immediately chuckled at.

Relaxing, Blake tells her, "Sun asked me out."

"Oh heavens no," Yang gasps, one hand flying up to her lips. "Did he have a suitable dowry? Are you to be courted, or will the marriage be arranged already?"

Jaw dropping, Blake isn't quite sure how to respond to the sarcasm. Her body reacts, and she smacks Yang's arm. The blond bursts into laughter. Blake makes a face, her nose wrinkling and her lips pouting at the merriment of her friend.

"I'm not sure I'm ready," she grumbles, glaring down at her feet.

After a moment, her laughter fades and Yang puts her hand on her shoulder. The happiness doesn't wane, but she snaps to and says, "Of course you're not. Your last relationship sucked, Blake. That doesn't mean you shouldn't give some new opportunities a shot and have fun."

"But-"

"It's _okay_ , Blake," Yang interjects, her voice full of meaning and sincerity. Golden and lilac meet, and Blake gets so lost in the soul, in the fire of the violet that stares at her. Slowly, the fear melts away. Some of the hooks that have dug their way into Blake's heart knock loose, and she feels a weight slowly lift from her chest. Her fingers are warm on her shoulder, so warm they sear a place there, a feeling that carves into memory. "There's nothing wrong with that."

Blake sucks in a slow, trembling breath. Strength flows into her steadily, and her anxiety dies. She lifts her hand up to cover Yang's, squeezing her fingers lightly as she murmurs out loud, "I think… I just needed you to tell me that."

"Sure," the blond whispers, and their hands drop.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

RUBY

"Come on, stop being so nervous."

Ruby shoots a glare at her sister, who strides confidently in front of her to the track field. Out of all the sports that are trying out for the year, soccer is the only one that appeals to the redhead. She loves to run, and she's sure she can find some pleasure in kicking a ball up and down a field and maybe into a net. She's never played the sport, but she's watched it before, and she's determined to keep her word to Junior – even if sporting is tedious.

Leading the way to where tryouts were on the far side of the field, Yang is as confident as ever. With her back straight, her chin up and her shoulders back, she looks as though she owns the world. Her violet eyes gleam a challenge. The waning heat of September doesn't even seem to faze her, despite dressing in a simple, loose blouse and leggings. As she observes, Ruby doesn't even realize that her posture straightens just a little as well, her strides taking on the same confident momentum as her sister.

"It's easy for you to say," Ruby mutters, glancing down at herself. She wears a simple grey t-shirt and some shiny shorts. "You're not the one trying out today."

"You worry too much."

 _I do,_ Ruby agrees silently, imagining all of the different scenarios of her failing tryouts she can think of. Not that she was lazy, but Ruby was never really the sporting kind, either. Running is just about the one thing she likes to do for physical activity. She's fast, and can easily outrun other people. But she's uncoordinated, a bit of a klutz, and eye-foot coordination was probably her least-best skill in her arsenal.

As they draw near, Yang rests her hand on the girl's shoulder. Silver eyes meet violet, and a kind smile that reminds her of her of their mom. When they lost Summer, Yang changed. She was always protective, she was always accepting, but there's something more mature in the way that she handles situations. Her reactions were more nurturing, her support constant and powerful. It had been a hard loss, losing Summer, but Yang had done everything in her power to take up all the positions that Summer had once occupied for Ruby.

"You've got this," Yang assures her, squeezing her shoulder.

Ruby's anxiety melts away just a little bit, enough to make her brave again. She reflects the blond's smile and nods, then steps forward. Yang stays where they were as she goes to join the group of twenty-or-so other girls.

"Ruby Rose?" the coach, a woman named Marie, questions.

"Yes," the red-head replies.

Scribbling something on a clipboard, Marie raises her voice so that the others can hear her, "Good afternoon everyone. Thanks for coming out to try outs. There's around twenty of you, but we're only going to be taking eleven of you. Don't let that discourage you, though. We'll start by running laps. Five of them."

The other girls seem to flow towards the track in the same direction, and Ruby falls into step with them. She walks beside a girl with long red hair up in a ponytail, and realizes with a start that her green eyes were pointed towards her.

"You're Ruby Rose, right?" she asks, her voice soft and gentle.

Ruby smiles politely. "Yes. And you?"

"Pyrrha," the other redhead says. They get into position together on the outside of the track. Pyrrha has long legs and a musculature that says she's been in sports all her life. As the other girls line up, Ruby begins to notice she's one of the shortest there, and fears that she won't be fast enough compared to them. Pyrrha nudges her arm with the back of her hand, telling the younger girl, "It's okay. We're all here to have fun."

 _Easy for you to say,_ Ruby thinks bitterly, her anxiety skyrocketing. _You're a giant._

"Go!" Marie cries.

Instincts kick in and Ruby launches forward, her reaction faster than the other girl's. Her shoes grip the tarmac and she speeds forward as the other girls take off after her. The wind picks up her hair, smashes over her, but she pushes through with her hands slicing the current and it makes her feel powerful. Heartbeat rising, she feels warmth and strength flow to her legs as she begs them to go faster, hearing the stamping of feet behind her grow nearer and nearer.

" _Wooo!_ Go Ruby!" Yang screams from beside the coach.

Ruby's sprint isn't as fast as some of the others, though. She's overtaken in a second or two by Pyrrha, as well as a couple other girls she doesn't recognize. But she doesn't let herself lose confidence. The girls that blow past her sprint at their highest speed. Ruby keeps her speed, tailing close behind them as they make it around the track once.

Ruby keeps her pace, and she notices that way ahead the other girls are starting to lose energy. They go around the loops again, and the youngest starts to gain back some lost ground. The other girls have longer legs, but they clearly don't run as regularly or as well as she does.

Legs on fire, her skin itches as her body wants to go faster. She holds back an explosion of competitive energy until they pass the starting line a third time, and then she unleashes. Ruby's legs are a blur beneath her as she moves. Her entire body ripples and flexes to push her forward, forward, forward. Steadily, gradually, she passes the girls who had sprinted ahead. She overtakes them and still has the power to move faster. So she does. Pushing harder, her feet striking the ground rhythmically, she pulls up beside Pyrrha.

They pass a fourth time.

" _YEAH RUBY!"_ Yang cheers from the center of the field, along with other incoherent screams.

For the first time in ages, Ruby feels light. Freedom to the very core of her being, like running has given her some escape from the hurt, from the nervousness and the pain of the past. There's nothing that can catch up to her. There's nothing that can stop her.

Pyrrha whoops cheerfully for her as she pulls ahead.

They pass the fifth time, and Ruby slows down gradually. She jogs to a halt, breathing hard. Her lungs ache in a good way, and her body burns. Turning around, Ruby beams at Yang, who has made her way across the field to pick her up and spin her around.

"That was amazing!" Yang cries, setting her down. "I've never seen you go so fast!"

Between breaths, Ruby gasps, "I can do this."

"Hell y _eah_ you can!" the blond returns, punching her in the arm lightly.

Marie interrupts their moment, "Alright! Alright, come on back. We're gunna do some dribbling practices!"

BLAKE

From start to finish, Sun was nothing but a gentleman. When he comes to pick her up, he walks up to her door and she's already ready. He doesn't even get to knock before she walks out, pausing when she notices how dressed up he is. He put on a tie for her, wearing a dark shirt and nice, light jeans. She's wearing what she wore in school, and she's about to go back inside, but he takes her hand to stop her.

"You look great," he tells her, smiling. "Don't change. I like that outfit."

Blake flushes. She was wearing a purple hoodie from Aeropostale that was too big for her and a pair of her normal, dark jeans. She feels uncomfortable, but concedes, locking the door behind her as she steps forward. He offers his arm, and she accepts it.

"You didn't have to wear the bow, you know," he tells her as they walk down the steps.

"I'm…not out yet," she says.

"I don't get that," Sun admits, looking at her sadly. "There's nothing wrong with you. Why hide?"

Blake recalls the bullying, the painful memories of her relationship, the stress that came with being a faunus among humans. She doesn't meet Sun's eyes, glancing away and muttering, "I didn't grow up in a comfortable little town like Patch, or a unified country like Vacuo. It was hell for me as a kid to be a faunus."

"Well…hopefully one day, you'll feel more comfortable here."

"Hopefully," she replies, her tone final.

Sun doesn't say anything in response as they walk towards the theatre, and she's grateful. She lets her mind wander to other things.

The night is beautiful. The leaves fall around them as they walk through town, the lights dim enough that they can see the stars above them. There's a few people walking to and from town, some knowing smiles flashing towards Sun as they pass. It boggles her how closely knit small communities could be, that people were intimate with one another without really ever being close.

"You're popular," Blake says when someone pats Sun's shoulder in passing.

With a nervous chuckle, he comments, "Not really. This is just how Patch is. Adults get a kick out of young people."

"Why?"

"I'd guess it's because they're raising us," he points out, shrugging. "They went through the kinds of things we're going through when they were young. Dating each other, navigating high school, figuring things out."

"Hm. Creepy."

Sun grins. "I guess it can be if you're used to big cities."

They get to the theatre, and Blake notices the titles on the sign are from movies that are already two or three years old. She supposes that Patch was small and out of the way enough that they don't get movies as quickly as the larger areas in the world. When they get to the concession stand, which was on the outside of the theatre in one of those older styles of glass-walled booths with little pass holes, Sun orders two tickets to a movie she saw a long time ago.

 _The Vow_. She watched it a long time ago with her ex, Adam, and it puts a bad taste in her mouth. Her lips press together and she doesn't say anything. She can make it through a movie. There was no reason why it had to be unpleasant…right?

 _It's_ okay _, Blake._ Yang's voice rings in the back of her mind. She relaxes a bit, letting go of her stress. It really was okay. There was absolutely no reason she had to be so stressed.

They go into the movie without bothering for popcorn or soda, finding a seat close to the back. A couple of people pile into the theatre with them, not that there's a huge amount of seats. There were maybe forty, and each of them were filled in about ten minutes.

In the middle of her thoughts, she notices Sun looking at her. She raises her gaze to him and he smiles. He has a handsome, kind face with eyes that glimmer in the low light of the theatre. He doesn't have to say much, but he's charming, and gives her the distance she had silently asked for. He has a pointed, strong nose and a broad jaw, with almond shaped eyes that shine in that special kind of way, that way that most people would fall for in an instant. Blake realizes she should feel lucky to be there with him. She should be absorbed in her attraction to him. He was good, gentlemanly, patient. And, he was a faunus.

So as the movie starts, she resolves herself to at least give this a shot. She owed it to herself, and to him, to do just that much.

YANG

Laying on the roof was one of the sisters' favourite things to do on a quiet night. The upstairs balcony of their house had a railing and the side of the house had little handholds that made it easy to climb up onto the shingles. They sneak out through Yang's room, quiet as possible, as they're not normally allowed to do this. The two lay side-by-side, absorbed in the stars and the full moon above their heads.

They had decided not to go to the garage that day. With homework piling up endlessly, there was hardly any good amount of time for just hanging out. There was a photography assignment for art class that Ruby wanted to get done, not relying on her partner to follow through with plans to take pictures on their breaks the next day. Blake and Yang had partnered up for that assignment, but the blond trusted the dark-haired girl to follow through, seeing no reason why she wouldn't.

"So…" Ruby starts off softly. Her head turns towards Yang, her eyes overfilled with concern. "…I heard Blake agreed to go on a date with Sun."

Yang feels a pit in her stomach at the tone in the redhead's voice. "Uh-huh."

"And you're okay with that?" Ruby inquires, the girl's eyebrows furrowing.

The blond turns her head to meet her sister's moonlight gaze. "What is it?"

"Just…you two have chemistry."

"So?"

"Sun barely knows Blake…" Ruby continues.

" _I_ barely know Blake. I only met her a week ago."

"No, you met her a few months ago," she reminds, propping herself up on her arms. The girl fixes her sister a curious gaze. "At your spot. She was just there one day. You told me, remember?"

"Yeah."

She really did. She remembers very well the feelings she had felt that day. It had been particularly hard… Yang had just lost her mother and her father had just shut down, she'd needed a moment to herself, a moment to get away. But there was Blake, laying down underneath the willow tree, during the single darkest moment of Yang's life.

 _I was wondering what you were going to do._

Taking in a deep breath, Yang whispers, "I know what you're getting at, Rubes. But Blake and I, we're not like that. She's not gay. She's had a pretty serious boyfriend before, and I don't know if I'm even prepared to get into anything…serious. I might not be for a while."

"You don't give yourself enough credit," Ruby states firmly. When Yang opens her mouth for a rebuttal, the younger sister puts her finger to the older sister's lips. She sits above Yang, fixing her with one of those looks that make her seem so much older and wiser than she ought to look, and continues, "You still beat yourself up over last year. You shouldn't, Yang. It's not unheard of for teenagers to go out and fool around with their friends and get mixed up in bad crowds and experiment with…things. Neither of us could've predicted that Mom…that she'd… that we'd get into an accident on the way home. Not you. Not me. Not her."

Lips pressing into a thin line, the blond looks away. Her heart pangs when she hears those words out loud. Lead drops in her stomach and she suddenly feels squishy and vulnerable. She almost cries, but blinks the tears back. Swallowing thickly, she finally turns her eyes back to her sister.

Ruby throws herself on top of Yang in a tight hug. "You're your own worst enemy, Yang. Don't hold yourself back."

"What would you do without me?"

"I'd find someone else to model," the dark-haired girl quips with smirk. "Someone quieter."

Yang grins and rolls her eyes. "Okay, what's the pose?"

Blake plucks her sketchbook up from the floor, flipping through a few pages before she finds the one she needs and orders, "Okay, I need you to keep your left side to me. Raise up your left arm and kind of push your hair back but hold it there."

"Hip pop?" Yang asks, threading her fingers through her hair so that it won't slide around unscrupulously.

"Hip pop," Blake confirms. "On the right. Maybe bend your knee."

Yang does as she's told, and she's never felt more attractive in her life. She wears a leather jacket with a thin purple-and-black striped scarf wrapped around her neck, as well as ripped dark blue jeans. She wears mid-shin high boots with a little heel, and she stands on the tarmac path that cuts behind the school by the river. With permission from Peach, they'd been allowed to come out here to do some painting work for Blake's portfolio assignment. The class was already doing an outdoors painting assignment, despite the chill of the mid-October air. The others were in the track field with their models, doing similarly embarrassing poses for their painters. Thankfully, Blake had decided she'd let Yang retain some dignity.

"Hold on." Popping up from her stool, Blake trots over to the blond, who raises an eyebrow when the girl stops in front of her. Golden eyes examine her face for a second before her hands shoot forward and ruffle Yang's hair. Reflexively, her face scrunches and she glares at her friend.

When she's done, Yang grumbles, "Anyone else does that, and I punch their face in."

Grinning at her, the artist says, "I'll be sure to handle this new power responsibly."

"Any other adjustments?"

Blake analyzes her for a few moments, and Yang waits patiently, admiring the winter attire. She had decided to wear a poofy light grey jacket, but it looked adorable on her, with a black-and-white tuque with intricate knitted designs that had a black pom-pom on the top of it. She wears black pants and a pair of fuzzy winter boots.

"You look adorable," Yang tells her just as she's about to reach up to her.

Eyes widening a fraction, Blake's already chilly red cheeks turn a shade darker. She reaches up to her and adjusts her head a little so she's looking out towards the river. She comes close enough that Yang can smell her shampoo, and smiles a little at the gentle fragrance of coconut.

"Now stay there," she orders, retreating back to her stool and easel.

Doing as she's told, Yang lets her eyes wander a little. The forest across the river had been subject to many myths and stories among the children of Patch, almost every person has a story recounting the dangers they had experienced there. With the sun absent that day, she finds herself swept up remembering the stories that used to send chills down her spine. She knows it's irrational, but her eyes wander the spaces between the trunks, in the darkest areas wher-

There's a guy in the trees.

Yang's eyes focus on him. He's tall, maybe a little older than them. She can't really make out his face, but he looks like he has spiky hair. He wears a dark peacoat and dark pants. For a long time, he stands there, just staring at them.

"Hey!" Yang yells, and his head snaps to look at her. "What're you doing?"

"Yang?" Blake's voice questions, confused.

Breaking her pose, the blond takes a few steps towards the river, her fists clenching on either side of her. Startling, the man wastes no time in turning around and bolting into the forest.

" _Hey!_ " Yang cries, taking a step forward. Her boot dunks into the water of the river up past her calf and she gasps at the cold, quickly pulling away. Icy water leaches into her boot and soaks her socks. She squelches as she pulls her foot out, cursing at her own carelessness, and looks up at where the guy had been. There was no trace of where he'd gone.

It isn't until Blake's hand takes her's that she realizes the dark-haired girl was talking to her. Yang turns suddenly, startling the other girl, and asks loudly, "What?"

"What's wrong?" Blake inquires softly, her fingers chilly against Yang's warm palm. Amber eyes are alight with concern, searching Yang's face for any hint, for an explanation. Her eyebrows curve up in the center, her lips set in a small frown. The look melts Yang's heart, and the blond squeezes her fingers lightly.

"I saw someone in the forest," Yang answers. She points with her other hand towards where he was. "Right there. He was just standing there. Watching us. You."

Blake's eyes turn to yellow saucers and she looks towards the forest. For a second, Yang swears there's real, genuine fear that flickers across her face before the girl turns away, hiding behind a veil of dark hair. Something fierce and protective rises in Yang's gut, and her heart squeezes as she realizes that Blake must have gone through something really horrible, to not just dismiss her in an instant.

"He's not there now," the dark-haired girl murmurs, her eyes flickering back into view. She drops Yang's hand, and retreats back to the canvas. "There's no point in worrying about it now."

Yang stares at her for a moment. "Blake, what was that?"

"What was what?" she fires back, giving Yang a hard look that said 'drop it'.

Everything in her tells her not to, but against herself, Yang concedes. She walks back towards where Blake had her and says only loud enough for her to hear, "When you trust me enough, Blake…"

The girl looks up at her sharply, her lips pressing together.

Yang meets her gaze, a gentle smile playing across her lips. "I'll be here."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

YANG

Morning was late that Saturday, sunlight only just beginning to trickle through the room's long, light grey curtains. Warmth dancing across her pale skin wakes Yang, whose eyes squeeze before slowly, reluctantly, opening. She lays sprawling across her double mattress, the sheets in disarray, a blanket thrown haphazard across her lower half. Her top is bare, a light sheen of sweat glistening across the ripples of her abdomen. Lavender-colored eyes peer lazily out the window, watching the curtains sway with each gentle blow of wind a little crack between window and sill.

After a few moments, she swallows thickly, alleviating some of the dryness in her throat. There was an itch in the back of her throat, a little pressure in her sinuses. Perhaps a little bit of a fever?

Yang rises from the bed, running her fingers through her hair, loosening some morning knots. Reaching mechanically behind her, she finds the tank top she'd discarded at some point during the night and tugs it over her head, straightening the orange fabric over her breasts and smoothing it over her abdomen.

The soft rapping of a fist gently knocking at the door sounds.

Yang glances up, clears her throat, and croaks, "Come in."

The door creaks as it opens, and the blond head of Taiyang peaks in before he fully opens the door. She can understand. Her state of dress was a little looser when it came to being in the same room as her sister – the two girls frequently changed in front of one another. Taiyang had been caught a few times walking into one of the girls' rooms, only to rush right back out in realization.

"Hey hun," her father greets awkwardly, his blue eyes analyzing her face. "You sick? Do you need medicine?"

A little surprised, Yang can't help but gawk at her father. The man has been almost utterly silent around them for a long time, as it had been hard on him to lose Summer. He was only lucid every once in a while, but the clarity in his eyes was reassuring and relieving. She slides out of bed, her eyebrows furrowing with a wave of emotion.

Taiyang frowns. "I know I haven't been the best father lately…"

Yang cuts him off with a tight hug. She wraps her arms around his neck and squeezes him, her head resting against his shoulder. Her father responds by hugging her around the waist, his chin coming to rest on top of her mess of hair.

"Hey Dad," the girl murmurs, her eyes watering a little as she smiles. "It's been awhile."

"I know, sweety," he replies, his voice low and regretful. He squeezes her waist and pulls back to observe her face. "I'm sorry, Yang. You've been so strong, taking care of your sister and picking up a job. That should be my job."

Shaking her head, she says, "It's been hard on all of us, Dad. We're lucky Qrow's here."

"Huh, those are words I never thought I'd agree to," Taiyang scoffs, and the two share a small grin. "I was wondering if you wanted to spar. If you're feeling up to it."

Before Summer died, Taiyang had made it his part-time job to spar with his oldest daughter. It had started as an overly defense dad thing to teach his daughter how to protect herself, but as time went on became a fun way to bond for the both of them. While the man had taught her a lot of different martial arts styles, they preferred to box.

Yang grins, remembering the rush of the challenge. "Yeah. Hell yeah. Let me get my wraps."

"I'll meet you out back," Taiyang chuckles, amused by his daughter's excitement. He turns to leave, and Yang practically dives for her closet. She thrusts it open, digging through a small mountain of clothing for the long, dirtied white wrappings she used before. When she finds them, she pulls them out, nearly ripping one in the process. They're a little rattier than she remembers, the fabric fraying in some parts.

Fitting her thumbs through the loops, she wraps both of her hands identically. They're soft against her skin, settling snug with the folds of her hands meticulously, like clockwork. She stretches her fingers out and apart, weaving between her fingers and Velcro fastening the wrap around her knuckles. When she comes out, she goes with a little bit of a hop in her step, flexing her hands.

She passes through the kitchen, ignoring a newspapered Qrow and a cereal-devouring sister, who both look up curiously as she slides open the back door. Their black and white corgi zips inside past her legs, his butt-waggling run carrying him towards his food bowl.

Taiyang is in the grass, bare foot, just like before. His hands are wrapped as well, and he throws a couple of practice punches, his fists rising to protect his face with the precision of a veteran.

"You're going down, old man," the girl taunts, walking up to the man.

He gives her a short once over before he breaks his pose, smirking as he moves towards her. "Not when your wraps aren't tied right."

Yang frowns and looks down at her hands.

"Velcro around the wrists. Not the knuckles," he reminds her, holding his wrapped hands out to show her his work. He throws a look up to her hair and says, "And what do you think this is? This isn't a fashion show."

"I forgot how bossy you were," Yang quips light-heartedly, accepting a hair tie when he pulls one from his pocket. She pulls her hair back into a low ponytail just to keep it out of her face, and fixes her wrapping job. She puts her fists up in front of her face, lilac eyes blazing with excitement.

Taiyang reaches out and adjusts her stance, pushing up on her elbows to raise her hands.

"Alright, kid. Show me how out of practice you are."

BLAKE

Armed with a laptop bag filled with her art stuff and a tray with two warm drinks, Blake finds herself enjoying the walk towards the Xiao Long house. She wonders if Yang remembered their plans from earlier in the week, realizing that the two hadn't really talked over what was going to happen since Wednesday, but found that she really didn't care one way or another. Her excitement to see the blond was enough for her to throw caution to the wind, and the idea of invading her friend's house appeals to her.

Their house was just outside the suburb, in the small grey zone between woods and civilization. When she comes upon the property, she can't help but admire the home that stood surrounded by orange trees. It was a log house, like what you'd expect a cottage to look like, with a huge front yard and a little tile pathway towards the door. She walks along the tiles, pausing at the door when she hears a, " _Get it, old man!"_ from the backyard.

Beneath her bow, her ear twitches at the distinct voice of Yang, and she looks to the side of the house. Before she can decide whether to just go around or not, the door opens.

A man with dark hair and maroon eyes fixes her with a steady, nonchalant look. Blake meets his gaze, mouth dropping open as she wonders what to say. She recognizes him for some reason, his face striking a clear resemblance to a man that had helped her out of the terrible situation she'd gotten herself caught in Mistral. He has long stubble and high cheekbones, angular features on a tall, lanky figure.

"You're that kid that moved into Oz's old house," he comments, his voice hoarse. His eyebrows furrow at her. "I heard you and Yang hit it off. They're around the back."

Finally managing to close her mouth, Blake smiles shyly. "Thanks."

"You can drop your stuff off in here, if you like," he offers, stepping aside. The gesture feels kind, and she can't help but feel welcome in this place where strangers live. She accepts his offer and walks inside the main hall of the house, noticing that it's all wooden walls on the inside as well.

The hall opens up to an open-concept living room-kitchen split, where the only division between the two was an island on which a red-headed girl was munching cereal and gazing over a newspaper. As Blake walks in, the girl does a double take before a wide smile spreads across her face.

"Hi, Blake!" she cries, putting down her spoon. "I forgot you were coming over."

"Hey Ruby," the dark-haired girl responds, sliding her laptop bag off onto the island. "How's practice going? Aren't you supposed to be going?"

The redhead looks at the time, gasping in realization.

"Did you forget?" Qrow inquires from behind Blake, his voice a hint of amusement and lecturing. "Come on, kid. You won't be allowed to stay on the team if you're a truent."

"I forgot I forgot I forgot," Ruby repeats, rushing from the kitchen island and up the stairs in the main hall.

Grinning, Blake's eyes meet Qrow's once more. There's a gentle look on his face, and he turns towards the dark-haired girl and tells her, "Yang's just out back. I think she's practicing with her father."

 _Practicing?_

Blake moves to the backdoor, sliding it open and stepping out in the expanse of backyard. In the center are two blonds, hers and a man, their fists flying in what looked like a real fight at first. Yang was on the defensive, watching from just over her knuckles as the man jabs at her furiously. She dodges them or blocks them like she saw all of them coming, returning only when a punch flies over her head with a quick left-hand to the gut.

The man lets out a grunt. "Good! Switch!"

Yang goes on the offensive. Her punches are just as fast as the man's, each one solid and brutal. Her brow furrows in concentration as the blond man dances around them, revealing only a slight break in his defense after one of Yang's punches makes his arm drop. The girl weaves in with a solid hook with her other hand, slamming into his jaw.

But the man isn't even fazed. In fact, his blue eyes narrow and he yells, "This isn't a tickle fight, Yang!"

That's the taunt that triggers something primal in Yang.

Blake's eyes widen as the girl seems to simultaneously rise on her feet and lower her stance all at once. Her calves flex as she dances forward, her powerful shoulders bulging as she goes through another set of punches. This time, Blake can see the effort Yang's exerting, if the quiet grunts weren't enough of a sign. Her muscular arms bulge as sweat accentuates the curve of her biceps. The man has to lower his stance, too, digging his feet in as the onslaught nearly doubles in speed.

The dark-haired girl's eyes wander over the young boxer, appreciating the way her tank top rides up as she punches, revealing a pale-skinned midriff and the definition of her hip. Unbeknownst to her, Yang is a tank, lined with muscle from head to toe. Her blond hair flows behind her like fire in the sunlight, her eyes narrow beneath the shade of her brow, but her unique purple eyes gleam with a light of their own. Blake catches herself admiring her bone structure from her jaw to her neck, the sharp points of her collar bone and the sway of her breasts as she weaves closer to her opponent. Though she isn't paying attention, she sees an opportunity with the way Yang's eyes widen a fraction, and Blake can see the girl dropping her weight into the hip closest to the man, spinning herself around and throwing a powerful haymaker into his cheekbone.

The punch sent the man reeling for a second, and he holds a finger up to tell her to wait.

Yang drops her stance, eyebrows rising in concern. "Are you okay? Tell me yes."

"Yes," the man responds.

"Look," Yang continues, like it's a routine.

The man meets her gaze and walks towards her.

"Okay. Had me worried there."

"Junior taught you that," the man comments, a little grin on his lips. "I didn't know you were training with him."

"Rarely," the girl replies, her gaze travelling towards the house. "He's too busy to train so-"

Yang sees Blake then, and her concentration breaks as a wide smile spreads across her face. "Blake!"

The dark-haired artist isn't expecting it when Yang jogs towards her and sweeps her up into a tight hug. Automatically, Blake hugs her back, her sharp nose picking up the scent of almonds and citrus from the girl's skin. She flushes as she indulges in her scent, her face coming to rest at the nape of Yang's neck, not sure if she's made breathless by the hug or by the rapid heartbeat pressing into her breast. Yang had developed a _way_ with Blake – somehow managing to make the artist feel uncomfortable and right at home all at once.

"Hey," Blake murmurs, desperate for a little loss of contact when she realizes the turn of her thoughts. "I didn't know you do martial arts."

"I wouldn't call that art," the blond man remarks.

"Shush," Yang shoots back, separating herself and nodding towards the man. "That's my father. Taiyang. Dad, this is Blake. My friend I was telling you about."

Taiyang gives Blake a curious once-over before shooting a look to his daughter that the artist didn't understand. She would've missed it, it was quick and subtle, and Taiyang gracefully transitions into a welcoming tone.

"Hiya," he says with a little wave. "You're the girl living at Ozpin's house, right?"

Small towns talk, the aforementioned grey-haired man had warned her when she moved to Patch. Word gets around. Blake would have to get used to that.

"Yes," she answers, scratching at the back of her neck self-consciously. "Though he's rarely around."

"Life of a travelling academic," Taiyang replies, grinning like he expected no less. "He's always been that way. Don't take it too personally."

"The way I see it, I get a house to myself all the time."

"Good way to see it," the man agrees.

Yang smirks at that. "No one to see what her and Sun do behind closed doors."

The comment makes Blake's face go dark red, and she shoots a glare at the girl. Something defensive rears its head in her, despite knowing that Yang was only teasing. She almost felt like she had to deny that anything had happened – because, really, nothing had. Sun and Blake saw one another a few times since their first date, going on a couple more only because Yang had encouraged it, since their first had gone so well. They hadn't even kissed…

"Calm down," Yang laughs, patting her on the shoulder. "I know you're a prude."

" _Yang_ ," the man groans, throwing a pained look towards Blake. "Please tell me she behaves herself."

"I don't know what Yang does in her spare time," the dark-haired girl admits with a shrug, and then immediately realizes that honesty was not what he was looking for.

Devilish, Yang adds, "Don't worry, Dad. I have to live my sex-life vicariously through others."

"Sex-life, _Jesus_ ," Taiyang mutters and disengages himself, shaking his head all the way around the corner. When he was out of sight, they hear a loud, "She's only fifteen!" from the other side of the building.

Sharing a look, the girls burst into a fit of laughter.

QROW

"You better be getting ready to go, kid," Qrow calls up at the stairs at his niece, hearing a distinct lack of rummaging.

Immediately after he spoke, there was a thump and Ruby yells back, "Okay give me a sec!"

Scoffing, the man walks out the front door. He's already ready to go, wearing a dark grey trench coat with short tails and a pair of slacks. He doesn't normally dress like this, but he figures if he's going out, he might as well drop by his office for an hour or two. When he steps outside, he goes to Taiyang's SUV and clicks the button on the electric key. The black beast shudders before it roars to life, lights blinking on.

Qrow stuffs his hands in his pockets as he once-overs the vehicle, pausing around the back when something catches his eye. Down the road, just a little ways, stands a man in a peacoat – or a boy, he can't quite tell. He's tall, lanky, and maybe a little thin to be a man. He wears a pair of sleek thick-rimmed plastic sunglasses that fit snug against his cheek bones, and Qrow can take a guess at why. He has vibrant red hair, clearly dyed, but he strikes an immediate cord in his memory.

Hackles rising, Qrow takes a couple steps towards him before he hears the door open behind him. He stops for a second to yell behind him, "Ruby, get inside!"

Ruby looks at him with wide eyes before doing as he says.

When he turns back, the boy's gone.

Maroon eyes narrowing, Qrow goes to the spot where the boy was standing at the side of the road. The dirt is soft there, and he reckons… ah, jackpot. Foot prints. Plucking his smartphone from his back pocket, he takes a quick picture of the tracks he left. He follows them into the forest, following the broken branches until the thick of the forest was just a bit too much.

 _He didn't make a break through this,_ Qrow realizes, and looks to the sides to see where he'd been wrong. There was no hint that he could see, no broken branches, no more foot prints… He glances up, and curses at himself. The kid was an acrobat for sure, somehow finding a way up the branches to make a quick escape from above. _Smart._

Leaving the forest, Qrow takes a single step onto the driveway before the door opens again. Ruby peaks her head out, giving him a curious look.

"Is everything okay?" the girl asks, a little dejected.

"Somebody was standing across the road," Qrow replies, not believing in holding things back from the girls. "In a weird way. Watching."

"Maybe he was lost," Ruby suggests.

Qrow smiles, ruffling the girl's hair as she approaches. "Ever the optimist."

"You're just a cynic."

"Maybe," he admits with a shrug. "But that's what closes cases. Come on."

On the drive there, Qrow can't help but keep an eye on the forest line. He watches the roads, his nerves from working in Mistral all those years ago returning. He'd made a few enemies in his day, but doubts that any of them hated him enough would follow him – any that possibly would were behind bars for a long time. He doesn't know if there's a kid at school that might've found interest in one of the girls, and decides maybe he ought to keep an eye out for any particularly unnatural red-headed males.

When they get to the school, Ruby hops out of the car with, "See ya, uncle Qrow!" and immediately sprints to join her teammates. He watches her go for a moment before surveying the track field, his fingers tapping on the smooth leather steering wheel.

Against his better judgment, he shoots Taiyang a text with the footprint pictures, messaging him a simple: ' _Kid was watching the house. Found tracks. Get buddies at precinct to run them. Bright red hair. Tall. Male.'_

Qrow gets a message back in a few minutes.

' _Watch Ruby.'_

"Duh," he says out loud, shoving his phone back into his pocket. He wiggles into a better position and lets his gaze rise to the sky, wondering how long a soccer practice could possibly be.

YANG

They'd studied for about an hour solid before the blond was starting to get antsy. She laid down on her bed, walking her legs up the wall and kicking them every once in a while as Blake, who could never tire of reading, was diligently skimming her notes.

Lilac orbs fixate on the pink-tinged lips of the girl beside her, her mouth drying as her thoughts take a curious turn. Her gaze transitions to her cheeks, admiring the seemingly permanent blush and the height of her cheekbones. Her thick eye lashes do nothing to hide the brightness of her amber eyes, which in the dim light of her bedroom, smolder with molten emotions. Her black hair is shiny, appealing, and Yang can't help it when she reaches up to brush a stray lock behind her ear – brushing lightly over the ribbon that ties around her head.

Jumping at the contact, Blake's eyes snap to her's. Yang can't help but smile awkwardly, deeply embarrassed, and murmuring, "Sorry."

"It's… It's okay," Blake breathes, holding her gaze.

Yang's heartrate skyrockets, the situation doing nothing to help her focus on the previous task. She clears her throat and looks away, her cheeks warm.

It was then that the cold, hard truth was laid in front of her. In a couple months, she'd managed to not only make a friend, but also develop a crush on said friend who was also currently dating another person. A boy. Yang's lips tug into a hard frown, mentally kicking herself.

 _Crushes on friends always leads to crap,_ she tells herself, chewing the inside of her lip. _Always. You knew that._

Unknown to her, Blake was still watching her. The dark-haired girl interrupts her string of thoughts by clearing her throat and telling her, "You're gunna have to help me here. I can't read your mind."

"Huh?" Yang dumbly asks, glancing towards her friend.

"What's wrong?" Blake inquires, not looking away. "Recently you've been quiet and moody. You go quiet sometimes for no reason."

Yang raises her eyebrows at that. "This coming from the girl who is literally always quiet and moody."

"I'm…introspective," Blake defends at the jest, frowning at her. "But you're not normally like this. That's why I'm worried."

The sincerity of her concern burns down any kind of mask she has and Yang pushes herself up a little, opening and closing her mouth as she wonders what to say. She doesn't want to ruin the friendship they have, so she can't admit to her feelings… Not directly, anyway. She runs her fingers through her hair nervously.

"Yang?" Blake presses, shifting towards her.

When her chilly hand falls on top of her fingers, she thinks it's a mistake, but the girl slips her cold digits around Yang's, squeezing lightly. The action is enough to alleviate some of her anxiety, and Yang let's out a shuddering breath. She squeezes Blake's fingers in return. Her hand is soft against the rough callouses of Yang's, her nails just long enough to scrap in a pleasant way across the lines of the blond's palm.

"I guess…" Yang trails off, furrowing her eyebrows. "I guess it just comes down to wanting to be close to you."

Blake isn't expecting that. The girl's face twists in surprise at that, her lips parting as though to speak, but Yang doesn't let her.

"You know, you have some secrets you don't want to share, and that's okay," Yang admits freely, knowing that even though this wasn't the issue, it was still something that she wants to change. She meets Blake's gaze, adding a little smile. "I don't want to force you into anything. I just want to be the person you can trust. With everything. Sun's a lucky guy."

"We've talked about Sun twice today," Blake points out, easily seeing through Yang's words. The blond curses internally. "Why are you bringing him up so much?"

"Well, y'know, cause you're together," Yang replies lamely, feeling dumb.

The boxer's met with a firm, amber stare. Blake's lips are set in a hard frown. She looks stern, as though she wants to lecture the blond, but instead she holds Yang's hand tighter. There's conflict written on the artist's face, and when she finally makes a decision, she lets out a breath and looks away from Yang, barely audible as she whispers, "Sun and I aren't together. We've been dating, but I haven't asked him to be my boyfriend, and he hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend."

A little anger rises in the blond's gut. "What? Why the hell not? Is he crazy?"

"I thought that's what you wanted to hear," Blake comments, confusion lacing her words. "Why does that upset you?"

"Because its nuts!" Yang blurts, her other hand snapping up as she talks. "You're amazing. You're beautiful, smart, talented, witty, how could anyone not want you to be their girlfriend? You're a catch, and you deserve to be treated like one."

Flushing, Blake says, "You're saying that like I'm an object."

Realizing her mistake, Yang shakes her head. She inches a little closer and tells her, "No… That's not how I meant it. I just… If he had asked, then it would've been more respectful than leading you around."

"To be fair, I'm doing the same thing."

Glaring at the girl, she mutters, "I don't care. He's not the one I care about."

The statement elicits a pure, happy smile from the dark-haired girl. She leans into Yang, resting her head against the blond's shoulder in a kind of mock-hug. The side of her breast presses lightly into Yang's arm, making her face hot and her heart squeeze. The scent of coconut fills her nose as Blake's face rests in the nape of her neck. Her breath on her skin makes shivers fly up and down her spine.

But too soon, Blake pulls away again. Her smile starts to ebb as her amber eyes turn to their interlocked hands.

"So…what do you want from me?"

It was a startling question.

"W-what?"

Blake is intent on staring into her soul, amber eyes flicking between lilac pools, as though if she could concentrate hard enough she could read Yang. She's curious, and Yang wonders if it's more than just concern for a friend, as though she were asking in this question… Exactly the question that Yang didn't want to answer just yet. There was hunger in her honey gold eyes, drive… The look holds Yang in place, and nearly cripples any remaining defenses she has.

"Yang…" Blake's voice is a breathless whisper that sings through to Yang's core. Her name falls off of her florid lips with silky grace, eliciting a reaction that blazes through her whole body. Yang wants to groan. She wants to just tell her, to kiss her, to do _something_ with the passion that ignites in her gut.

But she can't.

Swallowing thickly, Yang leans away and whispers, "I just want you to keep in mind; I'm always going to be there for you, Blake. No matter what secrets you have."

Watching her closely, Blake concedes, "You too, Yang."

* * *

A/N: Hey guys. Hope you're all liking the story so far. If you have any comments, criticism, or otherwise, feel free to review! Hearing back from you guys always gives me warm, fuzzy feelings.

Nightflare: You should get an account, so I can respond directly to you. I'll call you out here if you don't - 'cause I like you. Thank you for reading and commenting so much, it's a nice feeling to see you coming back and leaving a review every so often!


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

BLAKE

As winter began to roll in, so too did loneliness.

Everything was business as usual, but as time passed, she wanted to spend less and less time with Sun and more time with Yang – who'd been avoiding her without being absent. The Yang she'd met a few months before, who was blunt and loud with her opinions, had become quiet and second-guessing of everything she had to say. Sometimes, Yang wouldn't be in class, leaving the school to go wherever – her excuses spanning from home, to work, to just needing to get out. The separation hurt more than she could've anticipated, and Blake often lays awake at night thinking of the blond.

Coming face to face with the fact that she was definitely attracted to the girl had been a difficult process for her. After that study date, she had come to realize that she hadn't asked Sun to be her boyfriend out of a lack of interest in dating, but out of a powerful interest towards Yang. In a quick time, Yang had simultaneously become her closest friend as well as her muse – the boxer's influence was in everything that she drew now.

Thinking of the blond, she reaches for her phone on the nightstand. Before she can really consider it, she dials Yang's number. It rings once, twice, and Blake wonders if she's avoiding her phone.

And then she picks up, and Blake wants to sing.

"Blake?" Yang's voice buzzes through, groggy and hoarse. "You okay?"

"I… I'm fine," the dark-haired girl murmurs, holding the phone to her human ear. Her faunus ears twitch. "I just needed to hear your voice."

There's a little rustling on the other end before Yang says, "I'm here, Blake. Can't sleep?"

"Yeah," she affirms, looking down at her lap. "I feel lonely."

A pause.

Blake's afraid she said something or went too far, but then Yang tells her, "Okay. I'm coming over."

Blake immediately perks, smiling at the thought. "Really?"

"Yeah," the blond replies, "We can watch Netflix. I'll see you soon."

"See you," Blake agrees, and Yang hangs up. She holds the phone close to her chest, brushing her thumb along the side of the device, before a creak catches her attention.

Blake's ears snap forward and she grabs her ribbon, tying a bow around her ears to hide them. She slips out of bed, listening intently for movement, wondering if it was just her imagination or just house noises. She steps carefully, toes inching along the hardwood floor, her footsteps silent as she moves towards her door. Her heartbeat roars in her ears. Her hands start to quiver.

The softest, faintest creak catches her attention. It came from downstairs. Her heart leaps into her throat and she places herself against the door, swallowing as she fingers the door knob, carefully twisting. The hair on the back of her neck stands on end. _Is it cold in here?_

Blake inches the door open ever so slightly to let more noise in. She slides herself forward so her ear is near the crack. After a few moments, nothing, and she opens the door. The upstairs consists of a full bathroom and two bedrooms – the master bedroom and her own, as well as a window which was cracked open as wide as it could go. Wide golden eyes stare at the closed shades swaying forward, lightly tapping the wood and creaking ever so slightly.

 _Is that what I was hearing?_

Goosebumps ignite across her flesh as the chill of the night reaches her. She wonders why she would've left it open on such a cold night, and moves towards it. Cranking the window shut, she leans against the window frame with a big, calming sigh.

 _Yang'll be here soon,_ she tells herself, her mind shifting towards a shower. Blake pushes herself from the window and heads into the bathroom, flicking the light on.

Ozpin had a particularly modern style, preferring to have the shower and tub separate. The tub was set inside dark grey tiles, while the shower just adjacent to it was surrounded in clear glass and had two towel racks hanging from its side. The toilet was a few meters away from the tub-shower, towards the back of the rather large room, and was set directly behind a large, dark fixture for the sink.

Shedding her clothes and her ribbon, Blake wastes no time in hopping into the shower. The tile floor is always chilly at first, but warms almost immediately as soon as she turns the water on. She tries not to linger too long on one thing, managing to soap up and get halfway through washing her hair when she hears footsteps downstairs again.

"Blake?" Yang's voice yells from the main floor.

With the speed of electricity, she rinses the remaining shampoo from her hair and ends her shower. Hastily, she manages to wrap her bow around her ears once more and slips her towel on.

"I'm upstairs!" she yells back, opening the door a little. "I was just having a shower!"

"Alright," Yang replies, sounding uneasy.

"What's wrong?" the dark-haired girl questions, walking to the stair way. The rail is enough to hide that she's just in a towel, shy even though nothing's exposed. She peeks around to see Yang staring at the door way. "How did you get in, by the way?"

Yang throws her a dark, concerned look. "You didn't leave it open?"

"No, I-" Blake trails off, her eyes widening at the implications. Instantly, her heart starts pounding and it roars in her ears as she feels herself go faint. She wobbles, and Yang is instantly rushing up the stairs towards her, managing to stabilize her before she hits the floor.

"It's okay," Yang assures her, one arm around Blake's bare shoulders. Her touch brings with it warmth and comfort. "I'm here now. You're safe."

"Call the police," Blake croaks, pointing towards the phone at the foot of the stairs. "Please."

"Yeah," the blond agrees, disentangling herself from the faunus to go and do just that.

* * *

In the hours to pass after the cops come, Yang is by her side. Blake had gone to curl up on the porch, waiting for the cops to conduct their investigation, and Yang had found her not too long after she'd decided to hide. She sits in the middle of the three-seater swing, her side pressing lightly against Blake's, her arm along the back of the wooden chair. Given the circumstances, Blake thought she'd be a lot more afraid, but Yang's presence was enough to keep the fear at bay.

Blake shifts so she can lean into the blond's side, resting her head on the woman's collar. Yang's arm drops to her shoulder, welcoming her closer. She doesn't talk, but that's okay. What would they say, anyway?

In a short time, Yang had become the most important friend Blake's ever had. And maybe…more than that. Yang might have thought it some stroke of coincidence, but Blake had been drawn to their spot under the willow tree not out of chance, rather the scent of the place had drawn her there. It smelt of dew and ocean water, and Yang – though she hadn't known that at the time. All the rest – meeting at school, having much of the same classes – those were pieces falling together after years of nothing making sense in life.

Yang made sense. She was the answer to all of Blake's questions. She was anything Blake had needed – a partner for school, a support beam, a confidant, an irreplaceable friend. She was Blake's foil; the passion to her calm, the fire that challenged her cold, the light in her world of darkness. There wasn't a question in Blake's mind anymore – if there was one person she could be honest with, it was Yang.

Blake nuzzles the nape of the blond's neck.

"Yang…" she whispers, her arm sliding out and around the blond's waist. Yang's head dips a little, her chin touching Blake's bow, showing she was paying attention. "Thank you. For everything."

Yang chuckles, and it's the most beautiful thing Blake could've heard in that moment. "Don't be dumb. Anyone would do the same."

"Hmm…" Blake disagrees but doesn't argue, preferring to enjoy the cuddling. Maybe one day in the future, when everything had calmed down, she could prove to Yang just how special of a person she really was. But first…

"Don't you dare play this distance game with me again," she growls.

Yang's skin flares with warmth when she blushes. She takes in a little breath and murmurs, "Okay."

"Promise me," Blake breathes, her fingers curling into Yang's shirt.

The blond shifts a little, and Blake looks up to see her lilac gaze staring down at her. Blake's heart melts underneath the heat of her gaze, and she lets out a soft noise as the boxer's fingers brush through her hair slowly. With a little nod, Yang says, "I promise."

YANG

In the days to come, the Xiao Long family moved Blake into their home for the time being until Ozpin returned from his trip. There wasn't a whole lot of space in the house, so as Yang and Taiyang worked on making the basement into a bedroom, Blake used Yang's bed. The first couple of nights, Blake hadn't wanted to sleep alone, so in the middle of the night she'd come down the stairs to curl up with Yang on the couch. The blond would wake up with the noirette's weight against her and shift over so that she could fit snugly between the couch and her side.

Yang learned that Blake was a fan of cuddling, though only on her terms. When she wasn't particularly feeling cuddly and Yang bothered her, it had resulted in some amusing whining, so it was a win either way.

Ruby was excited every day to wake up with a new person in the house, quickly establishing a close friendship with Blake in the days to follow. Blake would join Ruby on her morning runs, much to the red-head's joy, who hadn't ever had a partner to run with before.

So when Ruby's first game of the season started, of course Blake went with them.

"Ugh, Yang, get off me!"

"No," Yang purrs, resting her full weight on her sister. She stretches across the back seat of the SUV, throwing a wink towards Blake when she flops her legs into the dark-haired girl's lap.

"Oof," Blake gasps, not really expecting the weight of her legs. She glares at the lilac-eyed amazon, muttering, "You're unbearable."

"Yang, give them some space!" Taiyang snaps from the front, a little tick in his forehead.

"But I'm so comfy," she murmurs, looking up at her sister with a grin.

Ruby's glare fades after a second and she grumbles, " _Fine._ If I can braid your hair."

"You drive a hard bargain, sis," the blond replies, turning over a little so the young athlete had access to her wavy hair. She wasn't particularly fond of people touching her hair, not that she would freak out over it, but it was seldom an enjoyable experience. On the other hand, Ruby knew how to avoid the tangles and never pulled too hard, her fingers adept at twisting her blond locks into a loose French braid. "Just make sure you don't make me look too girly."

"Huh," Ruby scoffs, eyebrow arching at that. "If you didn't have boobs for days that would almost be feasible."

Yang frowns. "My boobs aren't that big. Are they?"

" _Girls,_ " Taiyang groans in exasperation.

In the passenger seat, Qrow reaches for the radio and turns the volume of the music up in the front. After the police had come that night a week ago, Qrow was the next person on the scene. Apparently, he'd been investigating a case relating to a person that had been seen around Patch and Vale the last couple of years, and was trying to share leads with the cops. Though Yang had brought it up, it was his suggestion to custody services that allowed Blake to move in with them.

"They're enormous! Right Blake?"

Blake is suddenly very devoted to her book, playing off the redhead like she didn't hear her. Her blushing cheeks tell a different story.

"If you were into dudes, you'd never have trouble finding love," Ruby continues with a shrug, looking down at her work. "Actually, I've heard some locker room talk about you, too. Someone on my team is crushing on you."

"Oh?" Yang chirps, only mildly interested. "Does she have a good butt?"

"Yang!" the two men at the front exclaim.

The blond grins practically ear to ear.

"I think so," her sister responds.

"Maybe, then."

"Oh, please," Blake mutters, catching the attention of the sisters. She glances towards Yang, who doesn't understand the look in her amber eyes in that moment. "Your criteria for a girlfriend has to extend passed having a good butt."

Ruby clicks her tongue. "Maybe they'll give you Doritos."

"Oh, I'm a slut for those," Yang practically moans.

Blake rolls her eyes and returns her attention to the book, though her brow is knitted together. Yang's never seen her look so uneasy since she'd been with them, and wonders why the conversation would make her feel that way. Deciding to spare the dark-haired girl any more discomfort, she lets the topic die with Ruby's gentle laughter.

When they get to Patch's only stadium, they pile out of the car together. Ruby rushes to the back, not bothering to let Yang sit up before escaping out from beneath her, so the blond's head smacks lightly against the cushion.

"Serves you right," Blake comments, lifting Yang's legs.

"Hey." Yang pulls her legs away and sits up quickly, leaning towards the dark-haired girl. "What's wrong?"

Jaw dropping, Blake doesn't seem quite sure where to stare before she confides, "I just don't like it when you degrade yourself."

Yang grins and winks. "It's not degrading to be a horny teenager."

Blake narrows her eyes into a cold glare.

"What?"

"Nothing," she grumbles, opening the door on her side.

Yang follows after her, tempted to continue the conversation despite the shut down, but doesn't when she sees Junior striding over towards them.

"Tai!" the mechanic yells, and the blond man turns to see him. The look on her dad's face changes from worry to happiness at the sight of his old friend, and the two men shake hands before pulling one another into the manliest one-armed hug Yang has ever seen.

"Junior," Qrow acknowledges, slinging a cooler over his shoulder. "Nice to see you again."

"P.I. Branwen," Junior returns with a small grin. He throws Yang a look and nods to her. "Truent."

Yang shrugs when Qrow and Taiyang shoot a look her way, busying herself by grabbing her own bag from the back of the SUV.

When a pale hand reaches past her, she snatches up another bag, shooting Blake a little insistent smile as she pulls the strap over her shoulder. Yang's eyebrows rise in the middle a little, her lavender gaze flicking between Blake's eyes, silently asking forgiveness. Smoldering amber eyes soften in response.

"I'm not mad at you," Blake murmurs, only loud enough for Yang to hear. Her hand moves over Yang's, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

Their moment is interrupted by Junior loudly shouting, "So! You ready, Ruby?"

Yang shuts the trunk of the SUV, and her dad presses the button to lock the vehicle.

"I'm nervous," the redhead replies as they fall into step with one another, Taiyang throwing an arm around his youngest. Ruby lets out a big sigh. "I've trained, made most of the practices, but I'm still not the best at dribbling the ball."

"I saw you at practice a few times," Junior argues, shaking his head. "You're the fastest kid I've seen. You'll be great."

"I hope so."

"You will," Qrow adds, ruffling the girl's hair.

"Ruby?"

The new voice makes all of them turn, watching the Schnee heiress herself half-jog across the parking lot towards them. Her icy blue eyes move over all of them in concern, her disposition nervous though she's trying desperately to hide that. She comes to a halt in front of them, her eyes fixing on Ruby's.

"You made it," Ruby breathes, sounding relieved and glad, like she's having a good dream.

Yang and Blake share a look of surprise.

"Well…we had a deal," Weiss replies, her white blouse and light blue slacks severely out of place among the sports shirts and ripped jeans of the crowd pooling towards the stadium. She tosses her off-kilter ponytail over her shoulder, straightening a little. "A Schnee never goes back on a deal."

"Sure," Ruby says, a big grin on her face. "I'm just glad you're here."

Yang's lips form a little 'o' when she sees the blush on Weiss Schnee's face. She stares at the heiress, wondering how it was that Weiss Schnee would grow a crush towards her sister without ever noticing. They'd been hanging out a lot, sure, but she'd only ever seen Weiss act with reluctant agreeableness to her sister – and that was rarer than the times she was icy cold.

Blake lightly smacks her side, whispering under her breath, "Don't stare."

Snapping her mouth shut, Yang gives the dark-haired girl a look that practically screams 'what is going on?'

A shrug is her answer.

Nonetheless, Weiss accompanies them to the game. Navigating the questions of the adults, she proves to be an easy addition to their party, as a source of minor teasing and amusement. Despite her status, she doesn't seem to mind the low-brow humor or the puns from the Xiao Longs of the group, smiling and laughing quietly alongside them. After a while, her cold demeanor seems to vanish, replaced with a relaxation that Yang's never seen in the heiress. Yang imagines Weiss had gotten so used to being uptight and having to impress people all the time that she's never had the chance to just _be_.

When they sit down in the rafters, Yang throws an arm around Weiss's shoulder and leans close to her. Weiss gives her a wide-eyed look, but doesn't say anything when she sees the ferocity of Yang's look.

"You have a crush on my sister."

It wasn't a question, and Weiss has the grace to come clean. "Yes."

"Yang," Blake sighs, shaking her head.

"She's really young," Yang points out.

Weiss winces. "Yeah, I know."

"If you hurt her, I'll punch your throat so hard you won't be able to sing again," Yang continues, their eyes locked. It was more than a threat – it was acceptance. The girls had known each other since well before high school, having been in the same classes all through elementary and middle school. They knew one another – maybe not as friends, not yet, but there was a certain intimacy that came with knowing someone a long time nonetheless.

The heiress's lips twitch up into a smile, and she replies, "Thanks, Yang. I'll…be careful."

"You better," Yang huffs, pulling away from the blanchette.

"Has she always been this protective?" Weiss asks Blake, who munches quietly on some popcorn.

Swallowing, the dark-haired girl nods. "Since I've known her, I think. But it gets better when she's on your side."

"I'm right here," Yang deadpans.

"Guess I just need find my 'in'," Weiss says.

Blake nods again. "She's a teddy bear. It's easy."

Yang pouts. "Hey."

"I've never imagined Yang to be a teddy bear."

"You'll see."

"Guys…"

Weiss puckers her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Actually, it would explain a lot. In middle school, she was a sucker for this one girl's – Pyrrha's – puppy dog face."

"Really?" Blake snorts, trying to hold back a laugh. "That's amazing."

Yang snatches the popcorn out from Blake's hands, earning a cry of protest that she responds to with a glare. Weiss and Blake laugh, finding enjoyment at her expense.

The men of their group return with food for the girls and themselves, complimenting Yang for her choice in seats. The game starts shortly after their return.

The pitch is marked on all four sides with white boundaries, a one hundred yard field wherein twenty two players take their places. The referee calls the coaches of both teams to the center of the field, and he seems to toss a coin as the players watch on, waiting. He points towards Coach Marie, who in turn yells something to her team. Ruby, dressed in the blazing oranges of their Patch team, goes to the center along with Pyrrha. The two redheads take their positions, Ruby with her foot on the ball and Pyrrha standing just in front of her. The referee blows a whistle, Ruby passes the ball to Pyrrha, who kicks the ball back towards their offense.

Yang immediately lets out a whooping scream, her father doing the same, the two on the edge of their seats despite that the game had just started.

RUBY

After the halfway point, Ruby is a little surprised that Marie hadn't pulled many of their initial team to be replaced. Really, she's just surprised that _she's_ still playing. Ten minutes until the supposed end of the game, Ruby scales the field, running alongside Pyrrha and Neo. Neo has the ball, and she dances around two of the Mistral team as they charge at her, managing to dribble the ball between their feet and pass it in Pyrrha's direction.

Pyrrha stops it instantly, pulling it back with her foot just as one of the defense slides passed her, foot just inches away from the ball. She hooks it up into the air, over the body that skids past, and slams her foot to the side of the ball. It flies high in Ruby's direction. The redhead sprints at it, using all of the power of her legs to make one giant leap in the air, thrusting her forehead into the ball to fling it in the direction of the Mistral goal.

The goalie runs in to stop it, blocking it with her chest and sending it flying back out. Neo sweeps in in an instant, the short girl kicking it vicious back to the goal, and it flies against the net forcefully.

"Yes!" Ruby cries out, going to congratulate the girl.

Neo shoots her a look, and though she smiles, she hesitates to approach any further.

On her other side, Pyrrha whoops and slaps Ruby on the shoulder.

"Great headbutt," the older girl says, grinning at her. "And don't take her too seriously. She's always been quiet."

"Thanks, Pyrrha," Ruby replies, smiling as she jogs with the other redhead back to their starting position.

The score was an even 3-3 now, and they were probably going to run a little bit over time. She follows the other players of her team back to their side to defend.

"Good job, Ruby," Nora shouts at her as she comes to stand away from the center circle, closer to the net. The ginger-headed girl, though she was a little rough around the edges, had come to be one of Ruby's greatest supporters in the team. "Don't get shy yet!"

Ruby grins at the taunt.

Pyrrha jogs towards her when the referee calls a pause. "Ruby?"

"Yeah," the shorter girl replies, straightening a little.

"If I set it up, do you think you can do one of those shots from practice you did?"

Ruby's jaw drops. She's never pulled a shot like that off in practice games among the team, but that was because she hadn't had the time to set one up herself and shoot at the same time. She gives a thoughtful frown.

"She can do it," Nora supplies for her. "Of course she can."

"I – I'm not sure," Ruby says.

Pyrrha gives her a gentle look, shaking her head. "Just believe in yourself. Stick with me. I'll do the set up, you do what you do best."

Swallowing, Ruby nods. "I'll try."

The kick off starts, and the ball eventually comes flying towards them. Nora jumps in its path, kicking it out with enough force that Ruby can practically see a shockwave from the impact. Ruby sprints after the ball along with Pyrrha, who shoots her a look. Ruby gives her a thumbs-up, and they rush in after the ball.

One of the offense catches the ball before they can get to it, but Neo slides in, slipping across the ground to kick the ball out and consequently trip the other player. The ball flies off towards a Mistral player, who passes it back to a player close to their own goal. Pyrrha stands back and Ruby sticks with her, watching as Neo disentangles herself fast enough to block the ball's path back towards their side with her shoulder. The force is enough to spin her off her feet.

"Crap," Pyrrha yells, running after the Mistral offense that picked up the ball.

Ruby goes in for the assist, fast enough to block the path of the player while Pyrrha sweeps in behind her, catching the ball and kicking it back into the offense's side. The two dribble the ball between each other, evading a couple of Mistral teammates while the rest begin to converge on them. Ruby smacks the ball towards Pyrrha, who toes it up into the air. She bounces it off her knees a couple of times as Ruby winds up.

"Go!" Ruby yells, sprinting at Pyrrha.

The taller girl knees the ball up high and drops instantly after as Ruby jumps towards her. She twists her body midair, letting out a sharp yell with the effort of propelling herself forward and altering the force into her leg as she spins, her shin slamming powerfully into the ball. It flies so fast it's a blur, and the Mistral goalkeeper isn't fast enough to block it, diving into nothing but air as the ball whistles past, scoring home into the net.

One of the Mistral team knocks her out of the air, too late to stop her, and they both tumble to the ground. She manages to catch herself, whooping triumphantly as the referee calls game.

" _YES RUBY!_ " the chorus of her family's voices rise up from the crowds, trumped only by the screams of her team as they sprint towards her. Pyrrha and Nora are among the first people to lift her up into the air, bouncing her up on their shoulders as her team comes to stand around them.

Ruby shrieks, throwing her arms up, caught in a high she's never felt before. She looks towards the rafters, seeing Weiss standing with her family, clapping for her and her team, and she's never felt more victorious. She beams towards the blanchette girl, waving back at her dramatically and yelling out her name. She hears her, blushing hard in response, eliciting a little punch in the arm from her sister.

* * *

A/N: Oh my gosh, so many Guest reviewers! Thanks!

Night Flare: It loves you too. Rawr.

Guest: Thanks! Your review made me smile.

Sifki: Aww, I hope I can keep making your heart flutter! Thanks for the review.

SakraDevanamWR: I posted this today just for you, bae.

This will be the last of the chapters where everyone's ungodly young. Timeskip in the next chapter! Don't worry, there's a plan.


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: I'm writing this at 3 AM, so bear with me here. First of all, good morning! There were a few questions in reviews and PMs about the timeskip, a lot of concerns about it that I hope will be alleviated in the chapters to come. Be sure to leave a review or PM me, whichever you're most comfortable with, if you have some thoughts about it.

I'd also like to throw up a little warning in this chapter. There's some angst, but more importantly, I use diction in this chapter that is widely considered offensive. Viewer discretion advised.

* * *

High School Part 2

Chapter 7

BLAKE

Sometime during her eleventh grade, Ozpin had signed a couple of papers dictating that Blake might stay with the Xiao Long family while he was away. The man had returned sometime last year for a week, only to disappear again about a month later – which Blake didn't mind, finding that she enjoyed life with the Xiao Long family. Now, in her senior year, Blake commandeers the basement and helps around the house to make up for her lack of rent payments.

Over the past couple years, Blake's friendship with Yang had solidified. They were inseparable, but as time passed, Blake felt…that it wasn't enough. Not that she blames Yang, she hadn't been one hundred percent honest – wearing her bow on a daily basis, failing to find a time to come out to Yang. She might've lost her chance, even, with the other girl swinging from fling to fling short after the holidays in grade ten.

Thinking about it makes a pit of self-anger grow in her stomach, and she tries to dismiss it from her mind. During New Years this past year, she had resolved to tell Yang about her faunus heritage – as well as…

Blake's lips press together, her feelings for the blond slamming into her full-force. Her attraction to Yang was undeniable, her mind drifting to the boxer during choice midnight activities, her eyes lingering a little too long on the girl.

Thinking of her, Blake drifts up the stairs to her bedroom, knocking softly on the door.

"Yang?" she calls, furrowing her brow. "It's almost time for school. Are you r-"

The door opens, and a redhead comes out. Blake's jaw drops.

"Pyrrha?"

The girl dips her head and slips past her, murmuring, "Sorry, Blake, excuse me!" and hurrying down the stairs, slipping out without another word to anyone in the house.

Blake's eyes turn into the room, to a half-nude Yang. The blond wears only a pair of sweat pants, not bothering with a shirt or bra, her muscular torso completely exposed. Amber eyes can't help but travel over her rippling abs, her large, perky breasts, her cut arms, and finally to her shit-eating, grinning, embarrassed face. Her eyes snap back to a dark pattern across Yang's breast, her eyebrows arching and her jaw dropping.

" _Heeeey_ , Blake."

She slams the door shut, her face burning.

 _You jerk,_ she thinks, pangs of jealousy stabbing at her heart. Her fists curl at her side. She wants to scream, curse, yell at Yang… but knows she has no right to.

To the side, Ruby's door opens and the redhead peeks through, looking at the noirette sympathetically. "Did you…walk in on something?"

"More like something walked out in front of me," she mutters darkly, turning around and going back down the stairs.

Ruby comes out after her. Like everyone else in the house aside from Yang, the redhead knew of the noirette's crush towards the blond. She leaps down the stairs after her and throws her arms around Blake's shoulders, hugging her backwards and nuzzling her shoulder.

"Don't take it too hard," Ruby murmurs against her skin, but the words just anger Blake. "It's not like she knows. She wouldn't do this if she knew it hurt you so much."

Tensing, Blake grumbles, "She wants to screw around, that's her choice."

"It's not like she's really interested in anyone she brings home," Ruby points out, releasing the dark-haired girl. "She's just a ho."

The joke makes Blake smile a little. "No, she's not. She's promiscuous, but she's not a ho."

"I know, I just like seeing you smile," Ruby replies, skipping into the kitchen.

Blake follows her in, smiling when she realizes just how good of a friend the younger girl is.

Only fifteen years old, Ruby is probably one of the most popular and well-liked girls in their year. She was the star kicker of the Patch high school soccer team, her teamwork with Pyrrha and Neo a force to be reckoned with around the world. Blake is proud to call her 'best friend', the redhead certainly proving herself after Blake had come clean to her about her feelings towards her sister. Of course, Ruby being Ruby, she'd already known. The girl has a way of reading people.

Blake takes a seat at the island just as heavy footsteps barge down the stairs. Yang makes her entrance a moment later, wearing a ripped pair of jeans that hug her ass just so and a tight shirt that reveals a little (by Yang's definition) cleavage. The blond's hair is a crazed mess, looking more like fire than a natural head of hair, her bangs falling in front of her face and casting a sultry shadow over her bright, daring purple eyes.

"Good morning," she sings to them, beaming as she moves to sit beside Blake. "How is everyone this morning?"

"A little peeved," Ruby admits, turning to glare at her sister. "Do you have to molest every member of my team?"

Yang's eyes widen. "I only molested two of them. And I didn't start it."

"You know, 'no' is a viable option," the redhead growls.

Blake's eyebrows rise a fraction, a little surprised at the anger from the girl. She wouldn't have ever guessed Ruby had been upset by Yang's choice of partners.

Yang scratches the back of her neck, her lips tugging into a frown. "Does it really bother you?"

"A little. I don't need to hear locker room talk about your ' _sexpertise'_."

"That's not fair, Ruby," Blake comments despite herself, frowning towards the girl. "It's not like she decides who says what. And I think Neo does it just to bother you."

"Not one of my better choices," Yang admits, gazing sorely at the granite island top.

A pang of guilt drives out the jealousy in Blake's heart, and she reaches towards Yang to squeeze her leg, murmuring, "If they make you happy, it's your prerogative."

"You don't have to listen to it," Ruby grumbles, but doesn't say anything more as she prepares breakfast.

Blake hates the way Yang looks ashamed of herself, wishing she had the words the girl needed to hear to feel better. Despite her own feelings, Blake knew that Yang's inability to find a relationship that lasted more than a night was a huge source of insecurity for the blond. The blond herself has admitted that she wishes she could find someone to feel something r _eal_ with.

"I'm gunna go train," Yang states, pushing away from the island and leaving out the front door.

Ruby rests her hands on the counter, and Blake watches her for a few moments as silence falls between them. The redhead looks at her lunch, murmuring, "I was shitty, wasn't I?"

Blake nods. "You were pretty shitty."

Ruby lets out a sigh.

YANG

Having a first period spare was a godsent. She could go to the school's gym in the mornings, workout and train until second period, and her day went by all the quicker. Monday mornings, the gym was vacant, and she could use the equipment to her heart's content without bothering anyone, her fists flying against a punching bag with a ferocity reserved only for the times she needed to vent. She knew she slept around a lot. She knew it bothered Ruby – the girl believing in true love and all that. She knew Blake thinks she deserves better. Needless to say, her father disapproves. The only person who didn't seem to care was Qrow – who she's been spending a lot more time with as of late.

Qrow was safe. He has a tendency to put his own feelings aside to help her, being particularly fond of his niece, whether that meant bringing her along for some footwork on a case or just hanging out in general. He was there for her, always.

Not that she blames anyone for their disapproval. If Ruby had been doing it, she couldn't say she'd be all too pleased, either.

There was something ugly and lonely in Yang's heart. It rears its head on a daily basis, screaming at her for her inaction, screaming at her for not being good enough, and it only quiets when she has someone to indulge in for a night. But then it comes back the next morning, more powerful than ever, barring down on her with fangs of guilt and self-loathing.

Yang lets out a cry as she slams a particularly hard punch into the bag, cutting it with the sheer force of her knuckle. A little sand pours down its side.

"What did the punching bag do to you?" a reserved, gentle voice asks from across the gym.

Yang's spirts come crashing down in an instant, her anger dissolving into sadness. Her shoulders drop as she turns towards Blake, staring at her with dull lavender eyes. Her feelings for the noirette had only grown more powerful through the years, her crush evolving into real, palpable emotion for the girl. Every girl she's ever been with has a little bit of Blake in them – Neo, her quietness, and Pyrrha, the cautious way she cares. But neither of them, none of the others, were Blake.

Blake is her dream.

"It was here," Yang returns, sauntering towards the bench the girl was sitting on. She drops down beside her, resting her elbows on her legs. Her biceps burn with the effort she'd exerted moments before.

After a moment, Blake softly asks, "Want to talk about it?"

"Just…lonely," she murmurs, not willing to delve into the real issue with Blake. The girl deserves better from Yang. She'd had a short fling with Sun, and that should've been enough to tell Yang to move the fuck on – but the blond has a stubborn heart, and a stubborn inclination to stick to what she loves.

Blake shifts towards her, her arms sliding around her shoulders. She rests her cheek against the nape of Yang's neck in that special, Blake way, her breath carrying lightly across her collar bone and sending shivers up and down her spine. Yang lets out a breath and closes her eyes, letting herself get lost in the little touch, her hand rising to hold Blake's wrist. She dips her head in against the noirette's bicep, her ear brushing against the girl's dark hair.

"I'm here for you, you know," Blake tells her, reaching up to touch the blond's hair. Yang lets her, enjoying the feeling of her fingers brushing through her manic tresses. "Always. You don't need to feel lonely."

Yang smiles a little at that. "Not that kind of lonely, Blakey."

Blake remains silent as her fingers lightly detangle a knot in her hair, smoothing her hair gently. Her nails scrape beautifully across her scalp, in that way only Blake knew how to do, and Yang lets out a little moan as she leans into the other girl's body.

"This is better than sex," Yang sighs as Blake's nails trail along the back of her neck.

The girl snorts, holding back a little laughter. "Really?"

"When it's you, yes," she breathes, slipping an arm around her friend's waist and pulling her closer. "Cuddle me."

Blake wiggles closer to her, resting her legs over Yang's. She puts her trust in Yang to keep her from falling off the bench, and the boxer's true to her, her arm bracing her waist and her hand on her leg to keep her steady. Blake's arms slide around her head, pulling her down against her chest. This is as far as they'd ever go, and it was a double edged sword for Yang – comforting her and making her feel all the worse simultaneously.

"So…" the noirette whispers, breaking Yang's peaceful reverie. "…I saw your tits today."

Fire explodes across her face, and she's glad her head is down. "Enjoy the show?"

"It wasn't the worst thing I've seen in the world," Blake teases, her little flirtations going a long way to alleviate Yang's stress. "Does Tai know you have a tattoo?"

"Of course not," Yang laughs, lifting her head. "How do you break that to your parents? 'By the way, I got a boob tattoo. It's not just for me.'"

Blake's soft chuckle is heavensong to Yang's ears. "What is it anyway?"

While Yang respects her friend's sexuality, she couldn't help the flirts that would escape her from time to time. Blake made it too easy, honestly.

"Well, you'll have to get me naked to get that answer."

"This morning doesn't count?" the dark-haired girl shoots back, unfazed.

"Nope."

"Damn," Blake sighs, and they share a smile. "Can you tell me who did it?"

"Honestly?"

"Obviously."

Yang lifts her gaze to the ceiling, her face twisting as she admits, "I got it done at Merc's dad's shop."

"Oh, Yang," Blake sighs, shaking her head. "That place is so sketchy."

"It's better on the inside."

"Uh-huh."

The girls fall into a comfortable silence, a little smile playing on Yang's lips. Only Blake could do that for her – make her forget that she was alone, make her laugh and smile when she was down. Even Ruby had a hard time of that, being the kind of person who wanted to confront something head on as opposed to let Yang deal with it herself. Blake's fingers comb through Yang's hair as Yang holds her, neverminding the ache in her arms as a little time passes.

They stay like that until the bell for the first class rings, and Yang half expects Blake to leave for her class. When she remains, her heart squeezes in appreciation, feeling genuine cared for.

Clearing her throat, Blake softly asks, "Would you maybe be interested in going to Junior's new club with me?"

"Oh yeah, you've never been there, have you?" Yang breathes, lifting her head up. She looks into Blake's eyes. "I'll take you. It's not really your scene."

"No?"

"Lots of drunk people," Yang says. "Lots of touchy-feely people. Some people from Vale will come to party there."

"Sounds like your kind of place."

The blond nods. "It is. I love the party there."

"Then who better to go with?" Blake retorts, smiling up at her. "Besides, you haven't danced with me since Sun stood me up last year."

Yang laughs at that. "You can't still be mad about that. He was sick."

"I'm not," Blake hums, resting her head on the blond's shoulder again. "You're a much better dancer than he is. I had a great time. Maybe my partner this year will be even better."

"Yeah right," Yang says, squeezing her tight. "No ones got moves like me."

" _I'll_ be the judge of that."

Yang jabs her side, earning a squeak of shock. "Admit it."

Amber eyes narrow at her. "No."

" _Admit_ it," Yang growls, her voice dropping playfully.

When Blake's lips press tightly together, she engages in a full-on tickle attack, carefully pinning Blake against her torso as her fingers dance along her sides. The girl bursts into laughter, writhing in attempts to escape the blond's hold. After a few seconds of this, she squeals, " _Neverrrr!_ " and the tickling only becomes more brutal.

QROW

"So hold on a second," Junior orders gruffly, removing himself from a vehicle to shoot a look towards Qrow. The man stands in the door of the garage, cigarette between his lips, keeping a respectful distance from the mechanic. The black-haired man turns away from the car he was working on to look at Qrow, asking, "They let him go just because he was a minor?"

"No," Qrow replies, taking a hit from his cigarette before explaining, "It's not quite that simple. They caught him a year and a half ago, shortly after that break-in, and then sent him to get some psychiatric help in Vale. He has no guardian or parents to speak of, so when he turned eighteen this year, they let him go."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah," Qrow says, dipping his head. "Just like that. Once you turn eighteen, if you haven't committed any violent felonies, you have every right to demand you release. And the doctor deemed him mentally apt, so he had that, too."

"Christ," Junior curses under his breath, shaking his head. "That boy put Ms. Belladonna in a whole lot of danger, Qrow."

Qrow grunts, knowing full well how dangerous the kid was. After Blake moved in with them, Qrow had worked alongside the cops to find the kid responsible – using his expertise as a P.I. as well as his ability to do things without the red tape to their advantage. They caught him fairly quickly – he was young, made mistakes, lots of them. He was easy enough to track down. Following a string of complaints about stolen credit cards and a few suspicious purchases at choice stores in town had allowed them to get an idea of where he was hiding.

Taking a final hit, he flicks the cigarette into the ashtray bolted into the side of Junior's building. He crosses his arms over his chest and leans against the wall, muttering, "A piss off, that's for sure."

"You think he turned a new leaf?" Junior asks, his glance straying when his phone buzzes on the other side of the garage.

"No," Qrow deadpans, furrowing his thick eyebrows. "No, I just think he's had a year to practice how to be a discrete psychopath, and slipped through the system's cracks."

"Anyone ever tell you you're a cynic?" the mechanic utters as he checks his phone. "Ah, Yang texted."

"Huh. What for?"

"Asking if I'd be okay with her going to the club tonight," Junior answers, typing on his phone's touch screen. "I told her she could go whenever she wants as long as she lets me know. Always asks, though…"

Qrow scoffs. "Maybe she's waiting for you to read the law. Ever think it might be a little unethical to let an underage girl booze at your club?"

"Better she gets it where I can keep an eye on her, where she's safe," Junior retorts, and Qrow can appreciate the validity in the statement. "Besides, that's a little rich coming from the guy that lets her go out on cases with him."

"Touché."

"Ah, she's going with Blake. Cool."

"'Bout time they got out together."

"Yeah?"

"It's been painful, Junior," Qrow mutters. "Kids have no idea how to just come clean. You want to throttle 'em."

"Oh. Yeah."

YANG

Yang waits down on the front porch on a wooden lawn chair, clad in a simple pair of leggings and a loose, frilly blouse. She wears a large knitted tuque made with dark purple yarn over her crazy hair, as well as an orange scarf with a burning heart symbol, not wanting to dress up too much. March in Patch was mild, so the slight nip in the air barely registers for her. She sits with one leg extended and the other pulled in against her chest, her lips pulling into a little smile as she realizes that she's about to take Blake Belladonna out dancing with her.

It wasn't a date, not by a long shot, but Yang isn't willing to let go of the tiny peace that idea brings her.

And when Blake finally emerges from the house, Yang's heart skips a beat.

Blake pulled out all the stops, dressing herself in a purple dress with a loose collar, exposing the elegant points of her collar bones and the gentle slope of her cleavage. The dress clings to her upper body, showing off her petite frame, accentuating the curve of her bottom and the flat expanse of her stomach. The dress flares around her legs, loose and airy, falling just to the bend of her knees. Her skin is scintillating marble beneath the orange light of the porch, porcelain pale. Her shining hair falls in a cascade of midnight-colored waves and layers, a single curl falling softly over her shoulder, carelessly hanging off the slope of her breast.

Yang rises from the lawn chair, drawn towards the dark-haired woman. She steps in front of Blake, passion, desire, _ardor_ for this woman, smoldering in her chest. Heat flares through her as she gazes into Blake's fiery yellow eyes, and Yang's heart races when her thick, pink lips part, just a little, almost imperceptible.

"You look…amazing," Yang whispers, her voice low, raw.

Blake licks her lips, and it captivates the blond, whose eyes linger upon the glisten of saliva on her lower lip. She draws a shuddering breath to murmur, "Thank you."

Raising her hand, Yang tenderly brushes the stray lock of her hair back over her shoulder, fingertips softly grazing her collar. Blake stares into her eyes, and Yang loses herself in them as she returns the gaze, her fingers rising up to her scarf. She only breaks eye contact when she pulls the garment from her shoulders, wrapping it around Blake's shoulders slowly. She watches Blake's chest expand as she draws a deep breath – the blond notices the slightest of tremors in the dark haired girl's legs, and her heart squeezes.

Stepping away, the blond extends her hand, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Milady."

Blake flushes, laughing softly, "Such a gentlewoman."

"Of course," Yang replies, closing her hand softly around Blake's hand when her fingers touch her palm. They walk hand-in-hand down the stairs, their fingers lacing together as they step away from the porch.

Their walk reminds her of the day they'd found one another at school again, the lazy sauntering of two people not in any real hurry to get anywhere, of two people simply enjoying one another's presence. Yang thumb brushes slowly over the back of Blake's, earning a sidelong glance from the amber-eyed woman that got a little smirk out of the blond.

"You're acting differently," Blake remarks, her hip lightly bumping Yang's.

Yang bumps her back, leaning down a little towards her and murmuring, "Is that bad?"

"No," the dark-haired girl answers without hesitation, leaning back towards her so their arms press together. "Just different."

Yang hums in the back of her throat. "I'll let you go when we get closer. Wouldn't want someone thinking you're going with the resident les."

"I _am_ going with the resident les," Blake retorts, her fingers squeezing Yang's. "And I'll be dancing with her, too."

Yang's heart flutters and she blushes, looking up to hide the thrill and joy at her words. Did Blake even know what her words meant? Did she realize the affect she had, admitting to Yang she wanted to be seen with her? Could she? The ribbon of patience that had held her back before starts to tear, and Yang questions everything that they'd been through. They knew each other in and out. There were some things they hadn't told one another yet, Yang was well aware, but their secrets were out and waiting…for something. Was it her?

That ribbon snaps, and two years' worth of bottled up emotions crash down on her. Blake isn't just her friend. She couldn't be. Yang couldn't just be her friend anymore.

 _She has to know,_ her heart's voice is louder than all logic and reason. _She needs to know. Now._

Yang feels something quiver nervously in her gut as she blurts, "You know what, screw the club."

"What?" Blake asks, eyebrows rising in surprise.

"We're going somewhere else," Yang informs her, turning them around. Blake follows her, seeming unbothered by the change of plans, if a bit curious. They pass beneath the street lamps, and Yang swallows down any fear or uncertainty she has.

Their path takes a turn into a little tarmac path slightly overgrown with grass and dandelion leaves. The street lamps disappear, and starlight takes their place, glowing brighter and brighter as they move further away from town. They follow that beaten path, their beaten path, hand-in-hand, Yang's heart fluttering as she takes them back to the place they met. The place she used to call her own, now _their's_.

When they get to the willow tree, Yang takes her phone out of her pocket and swipes through the folders as Blake watches her. She pulls Blake just beneath the tree, resting her phone on a root and hitting 'play'. The slow drawl of a bass makes the dark-haired girl suck in a breath.

 _'Wise men say…'_

"Yang," Blake breaths, smiling wide.

 _'…Only fools rush in…'_

Yang beams at her, holding her hand out towards her once more. "Dance with me?"

"Absolutely."

Blake steps towards the blond, taking her hand once more and sliding into place in front of Yang, their bodies a few inches apart. Yang's hand comes to rest on the small of the dark-haired girl's back, drawing her in against her.

 _'Shall I stay? …Would it be a sin?'_

They sway slowly to the rhythm of the music, their waists skimming together as Yang leads them in small circles through the grass. She watches, mesmerized, as Blake's eyes flutter closed, listening to their favourite Elvis song. It made sense, bringing up one of the first things they'd ever bonded over tonight. Their dance slowly grows closer and closer, until Blake presses softly into her torso, her arms sliding up around Yang's neck.

Yang's hands slide around her waist, clasping behind Blake's back, sealing them together. She rests her chin on top of Blake's head, careful to avoid her ever-present ribbon, her heart slowly coming down from its erratic pulse. Nothing has ever felt more right, more perfect, than that very moment. Her arms squeeze around Blake's waist, eliciting a soft sigh that makes her skin tingle.

 _'Take my hand… Take my whole life, too…"_

Blake's fingers carefully massage Yang's neck, drawing the blond in closer to her. She whispers into Yang's blouse, "If I was a fool, I'd think you were being sweet on me."

Yang smiles. It was always Blake's style, pulling out some romantic phrase or idiom, preserving a moment in her mind that meant something more to her. She'd always loved that about the girl, and sighs, "You always could stand to be a little dumber."

She feels Blake beam against her collar before the girl buries her face into the blond's neck, taking a deep breath.

 _'For I can't help falling in love with you…'_ Elvis's voice comes to a close and the song finishes with the quiet chiming of piano lullaby.

Anyone passing by would see two women dancing in silence. But to them, there was the song of their meeting, the soft rushing of the river behind them, the chatter of birds in the forest, the quiet thunder roll of cars passing by deeper in town. _This_ was their song. And Yang didn't care about anyone else – the rest of the world is as good as white noise as long as Blake is by her side. In unison, they sweep over the roots and grass, warmth blossoming between their bodies and spreading like fire through Yang.

"Five years from now," Yang breathes, glancing down at her. "Where are you?"

Blake's eyes slide open ever so slightly, moonlight shining in her amber eyes. Her lips tug down a little, voice downtrodden, she murmurs, "University. Or college. On my way to an equitable, adult life."

Brushing her fingers up along the girl's back, Yang asks, "You don't want that?"

"I don't know what I want," Blake breathes.

Shaking her head, Yang scoffs. Softly, she says, "That's not true. You know what you want."

"Oh?" Blake pulls away, amber eyes daring as she looks up into Yang's lilac eyes. "What? A loud, boisterous, sometimes enigmatic blond boxer?"

"You want passion," Yang answers, her brow furrowing as Blake's eyes twinkle up at her. She leans closer, continuing softly, "An adventure. A _little_ danger. An epic, legendary love that consumes you."

Blake's eyes widen ever so slightly. Dipping closer to her, Yang hears her breath halt, and waits for a sign, any resistance, anything that would've told her to stop. But the dark-haired artist trembles in the boxer's arms, her hands entangling into her hair for some sort of grip, and all of this whispers _yes_.

Closing the distance between them, Yang presses her lips into Blake's. And more importantly, Blake's lips push back against her's. It was fireworks and inferno, a silent and booming affirmation, and the floodgates pour open. Their lips dance together as tender and slow as their prior swaying, Yang catching Blake's lower lip in hers as though she were leading her into a waltz, her tongue sweeping daringly across Blake's lip.

Crushing herself up against the blond, Blake tilts her head, allowing the woman easier access. Yang explores, pushing back against her, their bodies pushing as close as they possibly can. Their heartbeats percuss against one another's chests, their tongues mingling in the middle, and the world is a spinning pirouette all around them. They crash into the long grass, and Blake immediately rolls on top of her. Yang gasps as she loses control. Blake's hands press her down into the grass, commanding as she kisses Yang with all the love and passion the blond had showed.

 _Oh God…_ Yang's voice whispers in her mind as she lets out a soft groan of enjoyment. Her hands fall down to Blake's hips, holding on tight as an explosion of heat flares between her legs, as she starts to crave more. Blake's hands lock behind her head as Yang pushes up, easily supporting and moving the dark-haired girl's weight so she was sitting in the blond's lap.

When they break apart, their breaths come in ragged gasps. They meet one another's gaze, their cheeks flush, their chests heaving.

"Blake…" Yang whispers, her fingers lightly trailing over the girl's cheek bone. She looks into her eyes, the pads of her fingers finding the smooth silk of the ribbon tied around her head. "That's all I've wanted to do for two years."

The girl leans down, and kisses her softly once more. This one was chaste, their lips hovering together for a moment after its ending.

Swallowing any pride, trusting the closest person in the world to her, Yang breathes, "You're the most important person in the world to me. I love you."

Just like that, something spear heads the moment.

Tensing, the dark-haired girl's hands fall away from Yang. Her amber eyes stray from lilac, looking towards the city. Yang watches as guilt, shame, anger twist into a hard expression on the girl's face, and her heart shatters in response.

"I…I can't do this, Yang. This isn't right."

Pursing her lips, Yang bows her head to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. She releases Blake, allowing the girl to stand and move away from her. A deep, profound ache radiates out from the center of her chest. It wasn't right? Their kiss, their closeness, was the most right thing in the world to Yang… Wasn't right? How…?

"I'm so sorry, Yang," Blake whispers, her voice wavering, before she takes off.

Gritting her teeth, tears stream down Yang's face as she listens to the sound of her footsteps as she flees their place.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

RUBY

For the duration of practice, Pyrrha never once made eye contact with Ruby. The younger girl is somewhat glad for that, ignoring the badgering from Neo as she remarks about her older sister's talent, though she notices Pyrrha flushing in the corner of the room before hurrying out of the locker room. She follows suit shortly after she pulls a long-sleeve on, shoving her gross, sweaty clothes back into her bag. She shoots the pink-and-brunette haired girl a glare

As she walks out of the school, she checks her phone, frowning at text from Yang that simply read; _'Garage'._ Yang has never done that before – sent a one-worded text summoning her somewhere.

Holding on to the strap of her bag, Ruby jogs to the garage. Practice was never so tiring that she had no energy afterwards. She appreciates anything that lets her move more, and the distance to the garage from the school is really not much. Her morning runs are usually longer.

It's dark out, the stars and moon shine above. She gets out of practice at around 9:30 at night, which meant she's usually home by 10 o'clock for sleep. The air is a little brisk, but that just makes the run all the more enjoyable.

When Ruby gets to the garage, Yang has the door slid open all the way and the lights on. She's underneath a car, her legs stretching out haphazardly. She's not in proper clothes for work, which means that she's come to blow off some steam. Yang had a habit of training or working to keep her mind off of something, her coping strategy is one of avoidance.

"Hey," Ruby greets, tapping her sister's leg with her foot.

Yang rolls out from underneath the car, her head lightly resting on the longboard. When she emerges, Ruby's brow knits in concern, seeing the blotch, puffy redness of her sister's post-crying face. Her lilac eyes are still glassy, a little bloodshot. She sits up, her gaze drifting to the ground as she mutters, "I fucked up."

"Yang…" she drops down beside the blond, throwing her arms around her.

Dipping her head against Ruby's arm, Yang leans into the hug.

Sighing, the redhead asks, "What happened?"

"I fucked up," she repeats as Ruby gives her a little room to talk, her gaze on her hands. "I was going to bring Blake out to a club tonight to dance and… I just thought, screw it, I'm going to make tonight special and I'm going to do something stupid and reckless and…and _stupid_ …"

Curious now, Ruby arches one eyebrow and hums to signal her attention.

"I brought Blake to our spot and I kissed her," Yang's admission is so soft Ruby hardly hears her.

Furrowing her brow, Ruby wonders at what could've been wrong with that. The two had been harboring a crush for one another since Blake moved in with them. They clicked on a level that Ruby has only ever seen in movies before, their chemistry and understanding of one another surpassing any reason. It was instinct for them, so natural that Ruby catches herself wishing she could have that sort of bond with someone in the future.

Yang's had flings. She's had experience in sex, but not relationships, reserving her truest, deepest feelings for their dark-haired friend. And Blake had an on-going on-and-off-again thing with Sun Wukong for about a year, until she finally ended it at the end of their junior year a little more than half a year ago when she realized she couldn't run from her feelings for Yang anymore.

"She ran away," Yang whispers, running her fingers through her hair, her nails scraping over her scalp roughly. "I kissed her and she told me she couldn't do it."

Ruby takes a second to digest that, gazing down at her lap. The news was deeply disappointing, as she'd gotten in a habit of shipping her sister with the artist to the nth degree. She reaches out to touch Yang's wrist, squeezing a little. Something a little hopeful whispers in the back of her mind, asking a question that they both probably knew the answer to, but might not have ever been considered.

"Do you think it's…it's because she's…" Ruby trails off, opening and closing her mouth. She respects Blake's privacy, but there was only so much you could hide from someone you live with.

"Do I think it's because she's a faunus?" Yang finishes, giving her sister a questioning look.

Ruby lets out a relieved sigh. "Oh, good, you figured that out, too."

Snorting, the blond grumbles, "Of course I have. I've touched that bow enough to realize that there's something beneath it, and she never takes it off. I'd have to be an idiot not to notice. Or a really bad friend. Plus, we've slept in the same room together. She purrs in her sleep."

"Really?" Ruby grins at that.

Lips twitching up, Yang whispers, "It's one of my favourite things about her."

They sit together in silence, both reflecting. Ruby bows her head as she considers the difficulties a faunus had to have, the different questions and conflicts that might've come from falling in love with a human. What traditional, cultural implications did it hold for Blake that not only was she attracted to another woman, but a human woman at that? It was the prerogative of humans to fall in love with whomever fate decides, but was it the same for the faunus?

Was it a taboo they didn't know about?

Reading her mind, Yang states, "I don't think I've ever seen Sun dating anyone who wasn't a faunus."

"Blake's had to hide for years," Ruby remarks, glancing towards her sister. "She's never once admitted to us, never hinted. Patch is different, but Blake grew up in Mistral – and if there's one thing Mistral struggles with…"

"It's the racial divide," Yang finishes, shaking her head. "I'm such an idiot, Ruby. I never once thought…"

"We could be wrong," Ruby murmurs. "This is all just assumption… We won't know until Blake tells us. And you can't just go up to her and demand she tells the truth."

The redhead watches several emotions play out on Yang's face. There was frustration, hurt, but as the self-hatred ebbs away, Yang's eyes begin to lose the glint. Warmth returns to those kind, lavender eyes. Her face softens, her brow relaxing as she breathes a sigh that visibly releases the tension in her body. Lifting her chin, Yang gazes out the garage, her eyes rising to the moon.

One of the most critical, most core aspects of Yang was her inability to give up. Since she was a little girl, Ruby admired her determination, her resolve, and the strength that never seemed to go away. After their mother died, Yang stepped up. When their father switched off, Yang stepped up. When Ruby doubted herself, Yang stepped up. And now…

Yang stands, and says, "I have to go, Rubes."

The younger sister beams up at her.

"Do what you do best, Yang."

BLAKE

There's a place Blake would go to, in the middle of town, a café that's open twenty four hours a day that sells a mean cup of coffee. She's never been much of a coffee person, but as she accepts a mug from the employee across the counter, the aroma reminds her of Yang. The blond swore by coffee, and after about a year of pressure, Blake gave it a shot in their third year.

She goes to sit down in the corner of the café, watching the steam rising from the liquid in the mug.

Any store-bought mug of coffee was nothing compared to Yang's. Her coffee was the best, because she knew just how to make it for Blake. She would pick a blend with nuttier flavors, somehow guessing the artist's affinity for hazelnut, as well as knowing that she would love French vanilla. Yang is careful to appeal to her sweet tooth, sometimes omitting any milk or cream – though she had made a show of a latte just for her.

Ever since they met, Yang just had this _way_. Her easy-going, accepting disposition towards Blake had gone a long way for the dark-haired artist. The normally passionate, argumentative, fiery blond with a little arrogance streak and a penchant for adventure, for danger, would set aside those aspects of herself for the sake of Blake – revealing a deeper nuance to her personality that only the artist, and perhaps Yang's sister, was allowed to see.

Before Yang, Blake didn't believe that there was such a thing as a genuinely good person. The idea that there was hope in the world, a light to strive for in life, was lost to her when she had to flee Mistral. It wasn't just the rampant speciesism, it wasn't just the abuse of her former boyfriend, it was something in her that had grown cynical, hard. This thing in her heart of hearts which breathed doubt and skepticism into every action, every turn of her life. So deep, she's afraid to allow Yang to change it, let alone understand.

At the end of the day, it came down to a single fact.

Blake is terrified.

For two years, she's hidden who she is. A faunus, a survivor of assault, a runaway. Even though she has run through scenarios of telling Yang everything, she couldn't step past the fear. It was illogical. It was insane, really. But there is a certain comfort that comes with wearing a mask every day, a barrier between oneself and reality – a way for her to remove herself from any situation. It was how she survived, but Yang deserves better. She deserves to know Blake's real feelings, Blake's life…everything.

The chime of the door resounds through the café.

The artist's amber eyes rise, and she's shocked even though she should know better by now.

Stepping inside, Yang enters the café and her lilac eyes find Blake in the corner without missing a beat. She has a couple of oil stains on her shirt, a new tear in her jeans, her face a little splotchy and dirty, but it was _her_ Yang. Her Yang probably knew instantly where she would go to hide, probably knew exactly what was going through her mind, and her swiftness astounds the artist. How? How could a person so easily forget their pain to step into a position to help the very person who caused that pain?

Long, lean legs stride in slow-motion toward her table. Her hair trails behind her like flames, those golden locks dancing as her momentum lifts them from her back. She is the image of power. She is strength, hope, in a single person.

Blake trembles, the idea of being honest, the idea that the truth might drive the only light in her life away, striking home once more.

Yang stops in front of the table, glancing towards the chair. "May I?"

Choking up, Blake gestures with her hand, and the blond pulls the chair out and sits down in front of her.

For a long time, Yang just watches her. Her eyes are soft, lavender orbs that warm with concern for the artist, who can't hide her shaking. Nerves, fear, nausea – all the emotions she feels about herself, rearing their heads as she is forced to face the focal point of her happiness and stress. Somehow, Yang picks up on all of it, and she knows just the right way to steady her. Calloused, warm fingers rest lightly over Blake's wrist, and all of the joy, abandon, hope that Yang had instilled in her blossoms in her heart. Slowly, her trembling stops, and she can finally meet Yang's eyes.

The blond leans onto the table towards Blake, her fingers tightening against her arm. She gives her a little, caring smile, as she reassures, "It's okay, Blake."

Frowning, the noirette casts a dark gaze down at the hand on her wrist, muttering, "Nothing… Nothing about this is okay, Yang."

"Why?"

It's just like her to challenge Blake. To ask the questions no one else would ask, to butt heads, to call her out.

"I-I've hid _so_ much," she stutters, forcing herself to open up despite the majority of her mind telling her not to. Yang's hand squeezes again. Vision blurring, Blake's tears collapse down the sides of her face. Quietly, she vocalizes, "I'm not the person you think I am."

"I know," the blond responds, earning a look from Blake. "I know you haven't told me everything. And I don't care."

Blinking slowly, Blake perplexedly echoes, "Don't care?"

"You changed my life," Yang states, her tones so genuine and emotional that it leeches the words from Blake's mind. Her lips curve up into a lop-sided smile unashamed, unembarrassed, one of the ones that made the corners of her eyes crinkle. "I don't know what I would do if you weren't here. I know what I feel, you know? I love you. I never want to live without you. If I have to wait another two years, another _ten_ , I'll do it. I'll do it in a heartbeat."

This time the panic that rises in her gut at hearing those three words together is more manageable, but she hasn't got a place to run anyway. She would chase her to the ends of the earth, even if it meant sacrifice, even if it meant she wouldn't get to live her life, because that is the person Yang Xiao Long is. Heart swelling, Blake's hands slide over Yang's to hold her warm fingers between cold palms.

"I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do," Yang continues, her thumbnail lightly trailing across the creases of one of Blake's palms. "I'll be by your side even if you need me to be just your friend. The only thing I want… I just want you to try to trust me. Try to open up to me."

Their eyes meet across the table and Blake's heart races as Yang flashes one of her special, lopsided, eye-crinkling smiles again. This time, the faunus can't help but smile back at her.

"Okay," the noirette breaths. "But first we have to have a real discussion about your sexcapades."

Yang smirks. "Deal."

YANG

"Anyone ever tell you you're a cynic?"

In the driver's side of the car, Qrow shoots her a look. In his growing age, his hair takes an interesting turn, becoming more spiky and lively as the pigment starts to fade. He makes a low noise in his throat like a growl before answering, "Just about every time I'm seen with someone, yeah."

Yang smiles at that, opening the case file in her lap. She slouches into the leather SUV seats, skimming over the papers with dull interest. Private eye work is slow in Patch, and usually involves a scandalous love affair or another. As Yang really has no interest in these things, she figures she made herself good company to shadow her uncle, appreciating the need for discretion. This case, however, was _far_ more than a scandal.

"Who's 'Adam Taurus'?" Yang questions, narrowing her eyes. She feels Qrow's gaze on her as she flips through to the back of the file to see the pictures, recognizing him in an instant. "This guy again? I thought he was caught."

"He was," Qrow utters darkly. "But he was a minor with no violent charges against him, so they did a psyche eval and deemed him unfit to be tried as an adult. He was put in an institution in Vale."

"Shit," Yang whispers, dropping her fingers into her forehead. She pinches the bridge of her nose, sighing. "And what? He's back? Out for revenge?"

"That's what we're here to find out," Qrow informs her, pointing towards the building they were staking out. "That is an abandoned tannery."

"Uh huh."

Yang looks at the hulking building, a place situated on the outside of town, just far enough that it could be considered rural – like their home. It was towards the southern end of the island. She knew a little bit of history regarding the tannery; it had been built during the colonisation era and Vale settlers had hunted the local wildlife near to extinction until it, inevitably, had to be shut down for fear of the ecology of the island. Before she was born, the place was gutted and it was a hotspot for some regular teenager activity – Yang has heard some stories of people going to party or take pictures there. Sitting in its parking lot are two cars.

"You recognize those cars?" Qrow asks her.

"They're both 2012 Rios," Yang replies. "Rentals."

"Which means…"

"They're either trying to hide their presence here or they're new in town," the blond says, suspicion bubbling in her gut. "Why would newcomers come to the old tannery?"

"Might be a couple reasons," Qrow says, lacing his fingers together in his lap as they watch the building. Yang, now significantly more invested, sits up to get a better visual. "Not enough money to get a motel room, they're a bunch of kids looking for something interesting to do… But, really, the most likely answer is that they wouldn't."

"I'm surprised you don't bring my dad out for your investigations anymore," Yang comments, "Why did you…"

The boxer trails off when the door nearest to them flies open. They were on the far side of the road, hidden by darkness and tree cover in a cop nook meant to catch speeders, so the two men that emerge from the tannery don't see them. Yang's eyebrows furrow as she watches a huge, bulky man in sunglasses come out of the door first followed closely by a dark-haired man with a stylized beard and familiar clothes.

"Junior," Qrow identifies, and they share a look.

"Staking out new property?" Yang suggests, squinting to get a better look at the giant. He wore a white vest with a black shirt beneath it, baring a left arm with distinctive tribal tattoos along the length of his bicep and deltoid. His sunglasses obscured a good look at his face, but Yang could tell he had short dark hair and a squared jaw.

"Huh," her uncle gives a wry chuckle. "Ever seen a real estate agent look like that?"

"Profiling," Yang remarks.

"That's the job," Qrow replies, giving her a sidelong glance. "It's not a good way to think, but there's a certain standard professionals tend to keep to when it comes to dress. They certainly wouldn't show off tattoos like that. No union or corporate support for a real estate agent that doesn't look the part. And you need one of those to practice. For the record, that's why I take you around."

"Because I question you?"

"Because you're optimistic," the man answers.

They watch as Junior and the tattooed guy have what looks like a heated conversation. More than once, Junior scratches at his beard – a habit he made use of when he was anxious. The other man talks a lot with his hands, waving them around, clenching them into fists. He looks dangerous, unscrupulous, sculpted like a Roman statue with muscles for days. When his arms rise, his vest climbs up, and she sees the butt of a pistol sticking out from his pants.

"He's got a gun," Yang points out. "Qrow, what the _fuck_?"

"Nothing good I'm sure," Qrow growls. He pulls the lever to lower his seat, and Yang follows suit, shimmying down so that her eyes barely see above the dash. She watches the two guys get into their respective Rios, their lights sliding across their car as they turn out of the tannery lot. When they're gone, she turns to look at Qrow, whose maroon eyes glint back at her. "We should stake this place out for a couple of days. Go in when it's clear."

The blond nods her agreement. She has a hard time believing that Junior's up to no good, furrowing her brow as she thinks of the man who'd practically taken her in after her stepmom died. How do you question someone whose taken care of you, whose done nothing but good for you and your family? Her suspicions don't ease, taking after her father's cop instincts, her mind reeling as the questions turn to herself.

Adam Taurus was caught stalking Blake Belladonna and was taken up on charges of breaking and entering, and Yang remembers well the fear the girl showed that night. The blond thought she had been in the nick of time, that somehow her presence made Blake safe. But the fear never really went away for the noirette, who has a tendency to err on the side of caution, to be skeptical of those around her. If he's involved again… Yang can't shake the idea that Blake might be in danger once again, and fury churns in her gut like boiling water. Her jaw muscles pop as she grits her teeth.

"Let's go now," Yang suggests, reaching for the car door.

Quick on the lock, Qrow grabs her hand and states, "You're thinking angry and not smart, Yang. We're not going in right now."

"Why?" she grinds out, her hands trembling in frustration. "Why not now?"

"We don't know enough," he points out, raising an eyebrow. "All we know is Junior and an armed man went into the tannery together in rentals. Suspicious, yes. But it's not illegal to carry a firearm yet and it's not worth it to trouble the courts over a break-and-enter in a gutted out old factory. The real danger that we don't know – is there someone else in that building right now? Are they armed?"

Yang can't stand it. She wants to do something, wants to jump in, put down any idea of hurting Blake in a display of righteous violence. Punch someone. Destroy something. She purses her lips, voice flat as she whispers, "Then let's get out of here. If there might be someone else, we need to make our next visits random."

"Better." Qrow smiles at her, his gaze gentle with understanding as he starts the SUV. They pull out of the nook, driving back towards town.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

BLAKE

Coming up the stairs, Blake isn't expecting to open the door to see Yang sleeping at the island counter. She pauses in the door way to the basement, eyebrows rising at the sight of the blond. Yang's chin perches in her palm, her hair falling into her face, looming precariously over a pile of papers. She draws deep breaths through her lips, snoring so softly Blake wonders if she was just hearing things.

Moving closer, Blake realizes that the papers are from one of Qrow's case files, and the sharp etchings of Yang's handwriting scrawl across certain pages in red. She doesn't read them, though her amber eyes can't help but notice a picture of Junior with a huge, burly man walking beside him. The picture was dark, but the camera that had snapped it was clearly high-end, the quality lacking in grain and sharp despite the lack of lighting. Under the picture is an arrow pointing to the man in the photo reading 'Russet James', and beneath that 'discharged 1 y'.

Furrowing her eyebrows, she takes a second to analyze Yang. Though she sleeps, her eyes were outlined in dark purple, bags hanging above her cheeks. She was looking a little gaunt these days, her cheeks slightly hollow and her skin translucent and gray. Blake is well aware that Yang has been working herself harder than usual, cutting her last two period classes in favor of going off into town to do god-knows-what. She was taking Qrow's job a little too seriously, throwing herself into an investigation that really had nothing to do with her.

"Yang," she breathes, reaching out and touching the girl's cheek. Her eyes squeeze tight before they open. Blood-shot lilac pools, glassy from lack of sleep, blink slowly until turning toward Blake. The noirette tells her, "You fell asleep here. Do you want to go to bed?"

"What time is it?" the blond asks before a big yawn rips through her. Yang stretches out her arms, looking around.

"It's almost 6:30," Blake answers, taking a seat beside her. "Were you up all night?"

"Until I fell asleep, I suppose," Yang responds, a little sarcastic smirk on her face. "Don't worry."

Narrowing her eyes at the blond, Blake deadpans, "I'm worried."

"Well, you shouldn't be."

"Easy for you to say."

Before Yang could stand, Blake reaches across the counter to touch her arm. The blond's arm is firmer than she remembers, the healthy fat that she had replaced with tough muscle. She frowns, her fingers squeezing around the girl's arm, murmuring, "How much have you been eating recently?"

"I had a Powerbar yesterday," Yang provides with a cringe.

" _Yang._ "

"I'm fine, Blake."

Fixing her with a hard amber glare, Blake states, "No, you're not. You're going to make yourself sick if you keep going on like this. You need to eat and rest. Do you remember what you told me after the break in?"

Her lips purse and she doesn't answer, knowing she's been had.

"You told me that whoever was behind it wasn't worth my health," Blake informs her.

Yang sighs. "Yeah. I know what I said."

" _And?_ "

Blake watches as Yang deflates, letting out a hefty sigh as she straightens up, her shoulders releasing their tension and her mask crumbling. Exhaustion lines her features, the energy simply draining from her, her dull purple eyes meeting Blake's. It takes a moment, but Yang whispers, "This is different, Blake."

"Just let Qrow handle it for a day," Blake suggests, slightly taken aback by the dejection in the blond's voice. "He's good at his job. He can pick up where you left off. Besides, it's legal for him to do it."

"I can't," Yang grinds out, her voice strained. It was the voice of someone who was wearing themselves too thin, worrying.

"Yes, you can."

Slamming her hand down on the island, Yang snaps, "I can't!"

Silence falls between them. Stubbornly, the noirette stares at the girl. Yang has a temper, two years of living with her has proven as much – but Blake knows that Yang would do nothing to hurt her. The anger wasn't at her, but whatever it was that were hidden among the papers of Qrow's case file. When Blake doesn't back down, Yang deflates once more, shame lining her features.

"I'm sorry," she mumbles. "I'm not mad at you."

"I know," Blake assures her.

Reaching to her hand, Yang lightly pulls Blake's fingers into her's, her thumb passing gently over the length of the noirette's digits. The touch is tender, caring, so feather light that Yang might not have even been touching her at all. She lets Yang's fingers wander against hers, watches her finger tips trace the lines of her palm.

"Can you tell me why this matters to you so much?" the artist asks, suppressing a purr as Yang's fingers travel up the underside of her wrist. "What did this guy do to get on your bad side?"

"This has nothing to do with me," Yang admits, looking away. "And nothing is certain yet. But I can't… I can't just stand by and wait for something to happen. It could be too late by then."

Blake frowns. "Is that all?"

"That's all I can tell you right now," mutters the blond, eyes downcast and face twisting in frustration. "I wish I could tell you more. But not yet."

"…Okay."

Slipping off the stool, Blake lightly tugs on Yang's hand. The blond gives her an odd look, following her example as the noirette takes her to the basement door.

"Is this the part where you show me the errors of my ways in a moment of erotic passion, and I confess that I wish I could just, finally, quit the job?" Yang asks, a cocky smirk on her face. Blake glances back at her, raising an eyebrow. The blond winks. "You know. Cop drama stuff."

"If only you were a real cop," Blake retorts, her voice intentionally breathy. "I don't think I'd be able to contain myself."

"Aww," Yang jokes, conceding as the noirette leads her down the stairs and closing the door on her way in. "Well, it could be one of those gritty private eye shows. Like Jessica Jones."

"She was straight."

"Well _,_ _I'm_ down for roleplaying. Want me to be your Luke Cage?"

When she couldn't think of a comeback, she slaps Yang's abdomen. She can't hide the darkening blush on her cheeks, she glances shyly up at the flirt following her down the stairs. Yang smiles at her, her eyes alight with humor.

"Don't worry. I'm not packing."

"You can't take anything seriously, can you?" Blake shakes her head, leading the way into her bedroom and finding the remote hidden in her sheets. She clicks on the television, flipping through the channels until she lands on an old sitcom marathoning all day. It was good white noise, and she knew Yang preferred to sleep to the sound of a TV. "We're not doing anything but resting today."

"Sucks to be me," the blond comments.

"I'm sure you'll find _some way_ to cope," Blake remarks dryly, climbing into her bed. Before she finds a comfortable position, she pats the spot on the bed beside her. Yang stands there for a moment, her skin pink, scratching at the back of her neck. "What? Where did that confidence go?"

Yang grins at the teasing, admitting, "You try being perfectly confident when the girl of your dreams invites you into her bed."

Eyes widening, Blake's lips part as the comment sinks in. Her heart pounds in her chest. The thought that this incredible girl could've been nervous to be with her was exhilarating, her ego growing as her gaze drifts across Yang's form. She was really pulling out all of the stops, but Blake supposes that it was for the best, happy that the blond finally felt comfortable enough to be open with her.

"Come on," Blake sighs, wanting nothing more than just to be beside her. "You're not the only one who's been waiting. Besides, we've cuddled before."

Not needing any more encouragement, Yang pulls back Blake's burgundy sheets and slips into her bed. The noirette waits for the blond to get situation, sinking into the mattress on her back, exhaling softly. Her head rests on one of Blake's dark pillows, and she smiles and pleasantly murmurs to herself, "Smells like you."

Blake's ears twitch beneath her bow.

Ignoring any reserves she might've had, Blake slides closer to the blond, who moves her arm so that the noirette can curl up into her side. Nuzzling her face into the junction of the blond's shoulder, Blake slides her arm around her waist, her hand resting beneath the curve of her back. Yang's arm twists to hold her in against her side, the boxer's fingers lightly hanging off the incline of her hip.

Snuggling closer, Blake's nose touches lightly against the nape of the girl's neck. Her lips touch Yang's skin, and she can't help but press a chaste kiss to her flesh. The kiss is soft and she wonders if she was subtle enough to get away with it, but Yang proves her wrong by kissing the top of her head, by her ribbon.

Smiling, Blake murmurs, "Can't get anything by you."

"You're not as sneaky as you think," the blond chuckles.

"Just sleep," she grumps, her eyes growing heavy despite that she had a full night's rest.

"I can't. I'm nervous."

" _Yang,_ " she groans, lifting her head a little so she can look at the girl's face.

Yang flushes, murmuring, "Talk to me for a bit?"

Shifting onto her front, Blake props her head up on her hands, hovering a few inches above the blond. She wonders at what to talk about, her lips down-turning when she can only think of one thing.

 _Just talk._

"When I lived in Mistral, I fell in with a bad crowd of people," she starts, her own nerve starting to act up. Her toes wiggle in some dull attempt to alleviate the energy. "I was moved to a group home after my parents died, because Menagerie didn't have any proper facilities for 'troubled' kids. I was twelve. I met a boy named Adam."

The name caught Yang's attention. Cushioning her head with her arm, she puts herself in a position where she can properly look into Blake's eyes. Softly, she pleads, "Go on. Please."

Drawing a shuddering breath, Blake whispers, "Adam was…charismatic. He was a good friend at first, and we… well, we got close. Dated – you know, like how kids date."

"Sure," Yang replies when Blake pauses. "I had my first divorce in the first grade."

The joke brings a grin to the noirette's lips, and she continues, "I liked him, but he was older and he knew what it was to have feelings for someone – he took it more seriously than I did. Adam was angry, though. The world pushed us too hard. The people who ran the group home were-"

 _Racist._ The word gets stuck in her throat. She swallows, clears her throat, lucky to have caught herself, and says, "Well, they were jerks."

Yang's eyes soften in understanding, frowning. For a moment, it looks like she might say something, but doesn't.

"There were a few kids that used to live with us that got involved in a gang…and he did, too. He started changing, started having violent outbursts-"

"He hit you." Yang's voice is a growl.

Wincing, the noirette nods slightly, and murmurs, "He hit me."

Anger explodes in the blond's eyes, but the girl keeps her mouth shut, simply tightening her arms around Blake. Blake allows herself to be pulled in tighter, thankful for the contact. Even as memories flash in her mind, she feels herself stabilize – because Yang is there, with her. She knows she's safe.

Resting her chin on Yang's chest, she sighs, "He can't hurt me anymore, though."

Blake feels one of Yang's hands leave her back, her fingers brushing through the faunus's dark hair. Amber pools slide to a close, enjoying the gentle tugs, the light massaging of Yang's finger tips against her scalp. Throwing caution to the wind, she allows herself a soft purr. To her surprise, Yang gives no pause, continuing to brush the waves of her hair.

"Of course he can't," she agrees, voice soft, sleepy. "I'm here. You'll always be safe."

Lying together in silence, they linger in one another's arms with no intentions of moving. Blake, in Yang's arms, her head finding home against the warm pillow of the woman's breast, drifting to sleep with the soft percussions of her heartbeat.

YANG

"Do you really want me to talk about this?"

Hours later, the girls sit in the long grass beneath the willow tree. Yang rests with her back against the trunk, Blake's head resting on her thigh. Her amber eyes look out at the river, watching the sunlight dance over the water's surface. Every so often, Blake's ribbon twitches, and the blond aches with curiosity, the question dancing on the tip of her tongue. She couldn't risk any peaceful, serene moment with Blake. Didn't want to.

Blake rolls onto her back, pulling the boxer's hand over her to drape over her opposite side. Her eyes meet Yang's as she nods, murmuring, "I want to know what's been going through your mind this past year."

It was a source of shame for Yang, her relations with others. They meant nothing in the end, and that was explicitly clear with everyone she's been with. She couldn't give her heart away to anyone when its entirety belonged to Blake. But, if she has to know… there wasn't a single chance she would hide this information.

"Where would you like to start?" Yang wonders, voice hardly audible. Her fingers map deliberate figure-eights along the girl's side.

"How many were there?"

"Four."

"Did you like any of them?"

Blake watches when she looks away. An ache in Yang's chest reminds her of the two years she'd been waiting just to express these emotions to Blake, and the blond draws a deep breath before answering, "I tried to. I never entertained the idea that any of them could take your place, but I was trying to get over you."

The girl's dark eyebrows knit in confusion. "Why?"

"Oh, come on," a burst of laughter splits through Yang's lips. "You were with Sun for a while. Like, officially. For the last half of eleventh. I thought you were straight."

For a moment, Blake gawks at her. Her eyes flick between Yang's face and the sky, her skin flushing. "I… To be honest, I didn't want to put much thought into…my sexuality."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah," the noirette confirms with a little shrug. She frowns to herself. "I would find myself thinking about you in less than appropriate ways, and I tried to convince myself for a long time that it was just…just curiosity."

Yang blinks. "You were attracted to me?"

" _That's_ what you're surprised about?"

Grinning, the blond states, "Blake, it's just like you to deny yourself. You hate just being happy."

"That's not true!" Blake sits up, glaring at her.

"You never take compliments." Yang deadpans, fixing the girl with a skeptical look. Her legs tingle with the loss of the girl's weight, and she adjusts to allow for blood flow. "You question everything. When Sun asked you to be his girlfriend, you panicked."

Narrowing her eyes, the girl mutters, "That's not about hating happiness. I just…"

"…You have trust issues," Yang provides in the silence, reaching out to the dark-haired girl once more. She takes Blake's hand, and the other girl shifts to rest against her. "I know you do."

Lacing their fingers together, Blake twists so that she lays with her back against Yang's chest. With a smile, the blond rests her chin on the top of the girl's head, her gaze lifting to the river. A flock of ducks drifts around on the other side, dunking their heads beneath the surface and squawking at one another. She watches a mallard lightly nip at the back of one of the brown ducks, making her feathers ruffle and fluff out in protest before the two fall into pace with one another, swimming side-by-side.

"So?" the noirette reminds gently.

"Right, sorry," Yang murmurs, her mind having drifted off. "Well, the first one was that girl that transferred in. The kung fu girl. Arslan. We sparred a lot and there was one day… I was upset."

"And she made you feel better?" the girl's voice is bitter, upset.

"No," Yang instantly says, squeezing Blake's hand. "Not at all. It was the day you and Sun went steady. Not that it's your fault, it's not, but I was hurt."

A second passes before Blake says, "And then… Neo was next? How did that happen?"

"She…was very forward," Yang admits, making a face. "So was Coco. Those were both one-time deals."

"And…Pyrrha?"

Pressing her lips together for a moment, Yang looks down at the grass. "She likes someone else, and he doesn't notice her. We bonded over that. It was…easier with her, because we both knew for sure that we didn't want anything from one another except for sex occasionally."

"She stayed over," Blake remembers, looking up at her. "But she waited for Taiyang and Qrow to leave."

Yang winces. "Yeah. That wasn't the first time."

"Will… Will she be upset by what's happening with us?" There was concern dripping from her words, her voice quiet despite the speed with which she spoke. She turns to look into Yang's eyes, hers brimming with hurt and confusion, and it makes the blond's heart pang. "Yang, if there's something going on with Pyrrha, I can't… I won't get involved. If we're going to go through with this… I don't think I could share-"

Yang's fingers on Blake's cheek cuts her off. The noirette's skin holds a chill as her palm wanders along the slope of her cheek, caressing delicately as her fingers travel back to push her hair behind her ear.

"It's only you, Blake," the boxer reassures her, her hand cupping the cradle of her skull at the back of her neck. "It was always you. When you decide if you're ready or not, I'll be here."

"How are you so patient?" Blake asks, frowning.

Yang beams at her. "'Cause it's you I'm waiting for."

RUBY

"You look like you're about to aneurysm."

Realizing she was staring at Yang's chair, Ruby closes her eyes. Her head pounds with one of the worst frustration headaches she's had in a long time. Pressing her fingers against her temples, she alleviates some pain, murmuring, "Don't I usually say that to you?"

Weiss sits down in the chair beside her, sliding a small cup of coffee towards her. "If Yang doesn't want to come to class, that's her prerogative."

"I don't want her to fail," the redhead murmurs, accepting the cup of liquid headache relief graciously. She lifts the cup to her lips, taking a careful sip of the piping coffee. The sweetness of the brew strikes her, and she hums in pleasure. "Is that Mom-N-Pops' Snickers?"

"Yes, actually," Weiss confirms, visibly surprised at her guess. "Should I give up on trying to find a coffee you haven't tried?"

"If it's from Patch, I've had it," Ruby says, grinning apologetically. "Not that I don't appreciate it."

Since the tenth grade, Weiss has shared at least one class with Ruby in every semester to come. They quickly became comfortable in one another's presence as a result of the hours they'd been forced to spend in one another's company. Ruby had even come to find Weiss's _tsun-tsun_ approach to life endearing. They truly did complement one another well, in Ruby's opinion. Weiss had a tendency for the pragmatic, annoyingly so at times, correcting Ruby at every turn. It had taken some time, but Ruby manages to take it with a grain of salt, or give salt in return.

During the last semester of senior year, they only had two courses together. English, and Data Management. Ruby tends to excel in mathematics, but with Weiss's help, she's managed to retain a fairly good grade in English as well. They'd decided to use one another as partners earlier on in the semester, trusting one another to do their side of the project – and it works for them.

"Where is Yang, anyway?" Weiss questions, adjusting in her seat as they wait for their teacher to come in. "She's been away a lot recently. Blake's usually around, though."

"Our uncle got her obsessed with a case," Ruby answers, taking another sip.

Ruby watches as Weiss brushes a stray platinum lock behind her ear, her hair shining beneath the light as she dips her head to blow on her coffee. Aside from the slash of vibrant crimson inside the collar of her jacket, Weiss has a tendency to prefer her whites. People often make fun of her for looking like a ghost, but Ruby likes it, admiring her fair skin and the contrast her nigh-on-albino appearance made with her blue eyes and scarlet lips. Today, she wears her hair down, something Weiss was usually too insecure with her appearance to do.

"You look good today, by the way."

Weiss's cheeks redden and she smiles. "Thank you."

Beaming in return, Ruby lifts the cup to her lips once more. With each sip, she feels her headache ebb away.

"So what's the case?" the heiress asks, crossing her legs beneath the desk. "It has to be special. I know she has cut to help your uncle, but never this much."

They pay no mind to the people beginning to flood their math class, talking only slightly louder to hear one another over the static noise of the other students in the class room.

"Honestly, I'm not sure," the younger girl admits, tapping her nails on the side of the cup. "But this week, she's been out pretty much every night until really late. When she comes home, it's like two in the morning."

Weiss frowns at that. "It must be serious."

Giving the platinum-haired heiress a perturbed look, Ruby's lips tug into a little frown and she grumbles, "You know, of all people, I thought you'd be the first one to agree that Yang should be at school. Aren't you, like, a goody two-shoes?"

"I am _not_ a goody two-shoes," she snaps, narrowing her blue eyes.

"Fooled me."

Weiss scoffs, those bright eyes rolling. "You're impossible. I just think that Yang has different priorities to me, and I can understand them."

"What do you know about my sister?" Ruby questions, a little amused by the statement.

Looking down at her hands around the steaming cup, the heiress's brow knits together, answering softly, "You notice things about people when you've been around them for years. We might not be very close, probably not even friends, but I've known you two since elementary. I saw how losing your mom changed the two of you, even if you never talked about your problems."

The mention of her mother strikes a chord in Ruby's heart, and a twinge of pain echoes through her. Yang had done her best to take her mom's spot, to fill all the positions she could to provide for their family, and that had made it easier for Ruby to move past it, to never have to dwell long on the loss. She looks away, dipping her head in acknowledgment.

"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, you put all your energy into school and extracurriculars, and Yang put all of hers in caring for the people she loves," Weiss concludes, her shoulders rising and falling. "I don't agree with her priorities, but I understand them."

Ruby hadn't thought of it like that, even though she's known that Yang has always been that way. Breathing a sigh, she whispers, "I see what you mean. Thanks, Weiss."

* * *

A/N: I forgot to respond to people last time! I'm sorry!

Night Flare: Hai :) Glad you're liking the story. If you'd like to make an account, you can sign up on the website at the top right-hand corner of the screen on a computer. I'm not sure how you'd go about it on the mobile website or the app.

Army of Grim: Thanks! Glad you're liking it!

Guest: Right? Women.

Munchies: Oh wow, thank you!

Also, did anyone else's heart break this past episode (V4E3)? 'Cause mine did.

I'd like to apologize to everyone reading this. I have a tendency to flip-flop between American and British spelling, which might throw some people off. In Canada, though we use British spelling, most academic institutions accept both variants. I guess I'm still deciding which one I like most. I'll attempt to weed out as many of these mistakes as possible. Thank you.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

YANG

Eleven at night and Yang is putting on clothes to get ready to go. She dresses in comfortable, breathable clothes – dark blue jeans with enough stretch and give that she could move if she needed to, and a black long-sleeve shirt. She ties her hair up tight, twisting a ponytail into a bun so she could hide her bright hair beneath a dark gray tuque. Going down the stairs quietly, she slips on a pair of leather boots that she rarely wears.

When she notices a note on the island, she reads it;

 _'_ _Go back to bed, kiddo. – Qrow'_

Yang makes a face. _That jerk left me._

No matter. Yang has a photo of every single paper in the case file – just in case. Making sure her phone is on silent, she silently leaves through the front door.

The night is mild, humid. It was a good night to go out for a walk if you were feeling restless. The stars were out but darkness blanketed the forest around them, so thick that she had to give herself a while for her eyes to adjust properly to the black. Stepping off the porch, she nearly jumps out of her skin when she realizes there's someone sitting on the stairs.

"Christ, Ruby!" Yang exclaims, her heart flying up into her throat. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Waiting," the redhead responds, tilting her chin up so that she looks up at Yang. "You look like you're going to go burgle a house."

"Maybe I am," she remarks, thinking of the tannery. She steps around Ruby, rushing down the stairs. "Go to sleep, Ruby. You can't afford to miss school."

"Neither can you," the younger sister shoots back, popping up from the stairs and following the blond down the driveway. "So I'm coming with you."

"Like hell you are," Yang growls, turning abruptly. The redhead bumps into her, bouncing off of her body. She watches as her younger sister composes herself after, the girl thrusting her hands upon her hips indignantly. The blond narrows her eyes, her voice low as she states, "You're not coming, Ruby. You're going to stay right here."

"Why?" the redhead inquires, raising her eyebrows and leaning forward challengingly. "If it's okay for you, why isn't it okay for me?"

"It's dangerous."

"All the more reason for me to come," Ruby instantly retorts.

Irritation floods through Yang, her hands shaking as she thinks of all the things that could happen to her younger sister, should she come. There was no way. She wouldn't let her sister put herself in harm's way, not for anyone – least of all for herself. She hisses, "Absolutely not."

To the older sister's annoyance, the younger smirks, cocking her head. "You can't stop me. It's not your choice."

Yang narrows her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You won't hurt me," Ruby says confidently.

"What's gotten into you?" Yang questions, letting her frustrations go with a sigh. She drops her arms, looking into her sister's eyes. The redhead is right – if she wanted to come, Yang could do nothing to stop that. She could simply go another night, but she'd been planning this out for a long time, noticing discrepancies in time where Junior and this mysterious Russet James weren't around in the evening hours.

"A friend helped put things into perspective for me," the redhead words herself carefully, but Yang sees through it.

"Weiss put an idea in your head."

" _A friend_ helped put things into perspective for me," Ruby repeats, eyes widening a fraction, her silver gaze darting to the ground. She fidgets with her thumbs, knowing she's been found out.

"Uh huh. Weiss. What'd she say?"

"Really, she said nothing about me joining you tonight," the girl defends her friend, massaging self-consciously at the nape of her neck. "She just mentioned how you and I changed, y'know, after Mom died. Sometimes you just need someone to say out loud something you always knew but never really acknowledged."

"Huh?" Yang's eyebrow rises. "Mom has nothing to do with this."

"Maybe not, but after she died…you really took the caretaker position to heart," Ruby explains herself as Yang looks at her in confusion, lilac eyes softening as she remembers their mother. The blond frowns, noticing the slight tremor in the redhead's voice as she continues, "And I just kind of let you. And that was wrong of me."

"Don't be silly," Yang murmurs, taking a step towards the girl. She sweeps her little sister up into a tight hug, burying her face into her shoulder. The idea that Ruby might've been blaming herself for anything that Yang has done deeply troubles the blond, a seed of guilt sown in her gut. She squeezes her tight, hearing a breath flee the girl's lungs, her voice muffled by Ruby's crimson hair, "You did nothing wrong, Rubes. Mom died…and I had to do something."

Slowly releasing the redhead, Yang rests her hands on either one of the girl's shoulders. Ruby meets her gaze after a moment, her eyes glassy and sad.

Stomach twisting at the sight, Yang tells her, "I had to do something after Mom passed, to fill the void she left. She might've been my stepmom, but she raised me, too. And it hurt more than anything when she died. The only way that I could think of to…to cope was to do as much of the things she loved to do. Taking care of you, Dad. Providing. Protecting you and everyone else. I needed those things to help me through."

A tear falls from the corner of Ruby's eye, and Yang swipes it away when it reaches her jaw.

"This has been _my_ pleasure, Ruby," Yang says, smiling reassuringly at her younger sister. "So don't you blame yourself for any of it. Everything I've done has been for me."

Taking a breath, Ruby nods slightly. "That's…why I want to come, too."

Yang frowns, her hands dropping. "What?"

"I want to be a hero like Mom was," the girl murmurs, looking down. "I want to be selfless, too."

Battling internally, Yang's eyes flick between her sister's. The big sister part of her screams not to let her, to keep her sister from coming after her at all costs, but she wonders what her mother would've done in this type of situation. In life, Summer believed in allowing the girls enough room to develop on their own – even if that meant that Yang would fall into a bad crowd, even if it meant a world of pain for the woman who had to watch her daughter descend into a bad way. She wonders what Summer would have done had she lived.

Was it better to slam down ultimatums and rules, or was it more effective to lend support and protection after a person made a decision for themselves? Yang props a hand up on her hip as she looks down at her feet, pursing her lips. She's no parent. She doesn't know which way was right, which option was best…

"Ruby," she begins, raising her gaze to her sister's. At least, it was her responsibility to inform her sister of the truth of things, "It's dangerous. I'm going in potentially blind, and I don't know if I can guarantee my own safety. Qrow and I are looking into some suspicious business, following the release of…that kid, Adam Taurus, the one that was stalking Blake. He was released because he's an adult now, signed himself out. There've been rumors he's been back, and someone's living in the tannery."

"The tannery?" the redhead echoes, brow furrowing. "Really? Gross."

"Good place to hide." Yang shrugs. "There's been no official sighting of him… But there's something going on. Junior and a big faunus dude - Russet James - go to the tannery often. In rentals."

"Staking out property?"

"No," Yang deadpans, a little amused that her sister wondered the same thing she did. "There's no sale on the tannery, either. The land's wrecked from all the chrome salts they used when it was functional. There's still some fumes in the lower levels of the building, according to a toxicity screening of the soil and the inside of the building this past year."

"You really looked into this."

"It's easy when you impersonate a cop," Yang drawls.

"What?" Ruby's eyes go wide as saucers. "Dad would be so angry with you. What did you do?"

"I read off Mom's old badge number to a guy who wouldn't know what to do with it," Yang answers, shrugging. "It was over the phone."

Ruby drops her forehead into her hand, shaking her head.

"What?"

"Stay close to me, okay?"

"Stop worrying."

"Promise you'll stay close.

Rolling her eyes, Ruby whispers, "I'm right behind you. Promise."

Yang perches on the side of the building, hauling Ruby up and over the ledge when she climbs the ladder far enough. Her sister's weight is practically nothing – she probably could've carried Ruby all the way up on her back.

"There's an escape hatch somewhere up here," the blond whispers as Ruby catches her breath.

Pushing herself off the ledge, the brawler walks around on the gravel roof, the stones crunching softly beneath her weight. When one of her footsteps makes a resonating, hollow noise, she brushes away some of the gravel to see the hatch she'd known was up here.

"How did you know that was there?" Ruby gasps, moving towards her.

"It's Vale mandate that every factory has a fire exit on the roof if it's a tiered building," the blond tells her, using her sleeve to brush away the dust. The seal that had kept the emergency handle in place was already busted, so when she pulls the lever the hatch swings up with a soft whine.

Ruby crouches at the entrance beside her. "Does Blake know you're a criminal?"

"I'm not a criminal," Yang mutters, glaring at her sister. She slides her legs through the hole and supports herself with her arms, lowering herself slowly inside. It's darker inside, and she has to feel around for something to put her feet on. Luckily, there's a chair directly beneath the entrance. Carefully, she rests her weight on it, and then steps down. "Come on. And be quiet."

Ruby grunts, following her example. When her legs are too short to reach the chair, Yang hugs them and orders, "Fall forwards."

The redhead does as told, and Yang catches her with her shoulder when she comes down. Ruby smacks into the boxer, her full weight carrying her down.

" _Oof_ ," the air hisses out from the girl's lips. "My _boob_ …"

Yang grins, suppressing a chuckle at her sister's expense. She puts the younger girl down, feeling for her phone in her pocket and turning on the screen so that she could see in the pitch black.

She shines the light around the room. It's an old office, desks and chairs left in mostly their original positions. There were wires that ran along some of the desk surfaces, as well as some which snake across the floor – some of them thick, internet cables and others those ridiculously outdated cables with the three plugs all different colors. As Yang moves the phone, she illuminates a door on the far side of the room.

"Nothing in here," she tells her younger sister, glancing back at the girl. "Let's move on."

They step quietly towards the door, lightly fingering the doorknob to test if it would move easily. When it does, Yang opens it, lips pursing in stress at the soft click that follows.

"Feels like we're in a video game," Ruby breathes behind her. "One of the slasher ones."

Inside the main factory, it's pitch black. Yang flicks her camera into video capture mode, switching on its night vision. Her phone didn't have the best version of night vision – in fact, she'd thought for a long time it was fake, but it worked in the shade of the tannery. She raises the camera around, feeling Ruby loom behind her to see the camera as well. The night vision lets them see that they were in a hallway that stretches down into darkness on one side, and behind them is a wall. There are no other doors.

As she proceeds, Ruby's fingers hook into her belt loop. It's almost dark enough that Ruby can barely see Yang in front of her, and the older sister doesn't mind in the slightest.

"You should record," the youngest suggests, reaching past her to touch the big red button at the bottom of the screen.

Yang silently agrees, grateful she'd ended up bringing the girl along. They inch their way down the hall, coming to a ledge. Neither of them speaks as they go towards it, a single pole for a rail sealing them onto the platform. When the blond angles to phone downwards, her eyebrows shoots up in surprise at the sheer amount of equipment left in the bottom. There were rows upon rows of tables with rag-tag equipment set on top of them. Reaching down to see more, she frowns at the sight of jerry cans, like the kind they use for gasoline, beakers filled with liquids and hoses going to and from the things she didn't know she was looking at.

Yang's lips press into a hard line. There are bottles upon bottles of medicine strewn across the floor, along with empty jugs of antifreeze and tubes of drain cleaner.

"This is a drug lab," Yang whispers darkly. "That's what they've been hiding?"

Ruby takes the phone from her to take a look at what's downstairs. She moves the phone around. She focusses on certain parts of the tables, careful to zoom in on different products. When she sweeps, the camera reveals a faunus man standing in the middle of the lab, eyes gleaming in the night vision as he stares up at them.

"Shit," Ruby curses, "Run!"

" _Stop!_ " the man yells from inside.

Yang pushes Ruby in front of her when she scrambles, and they make a b-line for the room they'd come in through. There's an explosion of noise down the stairs, tables overturned as the man pursues them. Yang can hear him climbing stairs they'd missed, but it doesn't matter, as they slam the door to the room behind.

"Go!" Yang orders, grabbing one of the desks. It's surprisingly heavy, and she almost struggles to push it in front of the door.

When she turns back, Ruby's feet are dangling from the roof as she struggles to pull herself up. Yang rushes towards her, boosting her up with her hands. There's a loud bang on the door behind her as she waits for Ruby to get up and out of the way, and Yang leaps up just as wood cracks.

"Come back here!" the man screams after them.

Ruby looks back at Yang with wide, frightened eyes as the blond pulls herself up. Something hits her calf with brutal force, swinging her leg as the object clatters to the ground beneath her. Wincing, she yells at her sister, " _Run,_ Ruby!"

The redhead bolts, disappearing over the ledge of the roof.

Finally, Yang manages to pull herself up. She swings her leg up and over, wincing when she puts her weight on it, feeling a bruise start to swell underneath her skin. She slams the hatch door shut behind her. She's hot after her sister as soon as she can stand again, swinging herself over the ledge with a death grip on the metal ladder bolted into the building. She slides down the ladder like it's a fireman's pole, her legs straddling either side to keep her from simply falling down. When she gets to the ground, she sprints after Ruby, the light of the phone dancing as the girl's arm swings.

BLAKE

When Taiyang wakes her in the middle of the night, Blake fears the worst. She's never seen the man look so panicked, so mad with worry, silently obeying his orders to get in the car after she comes up from bed. Blake realizes that neither of the sisters is in the house. As they go, a weight drops in her gut. It must be them that the man is worried about. As they drive through town, a few cop cars pass them, heading in the direction they're going.

Taiyang's jaw muscles pop out, his shoulders stiff as he drives. His fingers tap on the steering wheel.

"What happened?" Blake attempts, looking up at the man.

"My girls are idiots," he growls, offering no other explanation.

The streetlights pass over them with increasing speed as Taiyang turns down a road she's never been down, and she's on full alert as they proceed into darkness. Further down the road, the red and blues of cop cars illuminate the ground and forest, and that's exactly where they go. As they pull into an old gravel parking lot, Blake's eyes go wide at the sheer amount of emergency vehicles – six cop cars, and two ambulances. As they pull up, one ambulance pulls away.

"What's going on?" Blake demands.

Off closer to the building is a group of cops, and Qrow, standing in a circle and talking among each other. Another cop exits the building with a man in handcuffs, leading him towards one of the cop cars.

Taiyang parks the car alongside one of the cop vehicles, growling, "This is the old tannery. My girls think they're vigilantes."

They get out of the car at the same time, Blake in a daze as she follows behind the blond man. She's terrified of what she'll find as they walk around some cop cars to the back of an ambulance. Ruby stands alongside Yang, who sits with her pant leg rolled up above her calf, revealing a dark, black bruise.

"Yang!" Blake calls.

The girl's lilac eyes turn towards them, and her face goes dark when she sees her father storming towards her. Blake pauses, watching as Yang stands up from the back of the car, taking a step forward to meet him.

A resounding slap across the face snaps her head to the side.

There's a silence that hangs in the air, Blake's lips forming an 'o' shape and Ruby's hand rising to her face in sympathy. They both watch as Yang recovers, turning her head back and looking up into her father's eyes, her eyes glassy.

Taiyang looms over her, yelling, "What the hell were you thinking, Yang? You could've gotten yourself killed! Or your s _ister_!"

Yang's answer is silence, her lips set in a hard line across her face. She doesn't back down from her father's intense glare, nor the sheer size of the man.

Blake watches her face turn to stone as the man vents, "Do you know how stupid, how reckless you were? What if they had _guns_ , Yang? What if there was more than just one guy inside the building? You're s _eventeen_ , eighteen in a couple of weeks, you need to start making better decisions for yourself. Why can't you just let this go, huh? And why did you have to bring your sister into this?"

Yang says nothing, and Taiyang utters a noise of frustration.

Stepping forward, Ruby puts her hand on her dad's arm, murmuring, "She didn't bring me along. I followed her."

"Jesus, Ruby," Taiyang growls, pinching the bridge of his nose. He shakes his head, leaving his daughters to go talk to the cops and Qrow, poising for another battle.

Drawing closer, Blake goes to the sisters' sides. Yang hops back onto the ambulance, eager to take weight off her swollen leg. Ruby stares at the ground guiltily, her arms crossing over her chest.

"Are you okay?" the noirette questions.

Yang's brow relaxes, and she gives a short nod.

"It's my fault," Ruby whispers, meeting Blake's gaze. "We saw someone inside and I panicked. It was probably dark enough that he didn't even see us, but I yelled."

Mechanically, the blond says, "It's not your fault, Ruby."

Frowning, the faunus tilts her head in curiosity. She glances towards the tannery, asking, "What happened? Why are you guys here?"

"Qrow's case was starting to go cold," Yang explains, her gaze fixing on a cop car. Blake follows her eyes, noticing the man in the back of the vehicle. She continues, "He and I had scoped this place out a little while ago, saw Junior and a man named Russet coming in and out of this place. Leads we followed up on were dead ends. He'd lose his license if he broke in here, he didn't want to in the first place, and he left to go and do some work without me. So I figured I might as well get some hard evidence. Got a video recording of the stuff in there, a drug lab, but I didn't find anyone I needed to."

That's when Blake understands the look she's seeing. In Yang's lilac eyes is something cold and hard that seethes self-hatred and failure. Yang has been working tirelessly the past couple of weeks, hardly finding any sleep, in order to put this whole case to rest. Tonight, she must've been feeling that all of her hard work would come to an end: that she might finally put an end to having to worry about the safety of the people she cares about.

Blake steps towards her, wrapping her arms around her muscular shoulders. Yang lifts an arm up to hug her in return, her hand resting on the small of her back.

"Give it a rest, for now," Blake murmurs, nuzzling the blond's shoulder. She doesn't care that there are people around, that Ruby's literally right beside them. She squeezes the blond, her fingers stroking through fiery tresses and curls. "You probably scared off anyone who's in control by bringing the cops here. You should relax, for once."

Yang snorts. "Oh, yeah? How?"

Pulling away, Blake flashes her a smile. "I'm kind of lonely in photography class, you know."

Yang's face softens, her brows relaxing and the conflict slowly dissipating from her features. Blake reaches up to touch her cheek, her fingers brushing along her bangs lightly. There's not a doubt in the noirette's mind that Yang would deny her, knowing the girl sometimes needed confirmation from others – from her – that it was okay to come up for air, every once in a while.

Dipping her head, Yang concedes, "I'll start coming to school more. I'm sorry."

"What for?" Blake wonders, heaving herself up onto the back of the ambulance alongside the blond.

"I made you worry about me for a long time," Yang says, glancing between the noirette and her sister on her other side. "Both of you. I'm sorry."

"Don't mention it," Ruby replies with a smile.

Resting her head on Yang's shoulder, the faunus mutters, "You should be. Do you know how hard it's been using other people as models?"

The joke has the desired effect, eliciting a soft laugh from both of the sisters.

YANG

Arms glistening with sweat, she slams punch after punch into the sandbag. Her brow furrows in concentration, an ignition of energy crackling through her body. Heat pools from her as her fists strike home, the sandbag rippling around her knuckles, slightly engulfing her fingers with each hit. Her deltoids burn with the effort and the itchiness beneath the skin of her arms was just beginning to ebb, committing herself to simply working harder. Yang's hair whips like fire as she dances around, her feet twisting her body as though she were in a real fight. With each shift of her weight, pain shoots up her left leg, ricocheting up her spine.

The night looms over her, the events of the past few hours weighing heavy on her. She had tried to sleep to no avail, finding no comfort in the chill of her satin sheets. Preferring not to pull her punches, she hopes that her training isn't too loud for those sleeping within the house. They'd be awake in an hour or two, but she knew how sleeplessness could affect one's better judgment.

She blames herself.

Every crackle of pain in her leg is a reminder of how she'd endangered her sister, and failed to get anything to show for it. Sure, there was one guy behind bars. A guard. There was no explanation as to why Junior was in that building. No answer as to who this Russet James was.

When her thoughts darken, her punches become more erratic. She loses focus, and with one show of explosive energy, throws a strike that knocks the sandbag off its base. It tips over, smashing into the ground with explosive resonation. A noise resembling a snarl rips through her teeth, and she reels back to throw a kick.

"Yang?"

Yang stops dead, her foot freezing in the air. Slowly, she turns to look over at her father, standing in the doorway. Taiyang's blue eyes shine in the darkness, his lips set in a frown.

As he steps out of the house, he closes the door behind him. Yang lowers her foot, her fists falling to her sides. She watches as he walks around her, lifting up the punching bag and setting it back on its base. He rests his hand on top of it, his eyes falling to the ground. Yang stands in front of him, bracing herself for a lecture.

If she's honest with herself, she deserved that. She had deserved the slap, if for no other reason than because she had allowed her sister to come with her. She knows.

"The man that you helped catch today was linked to a larger crime syndicate from Mistral," Taiyang informs her, his voice monotone, matter-of-fact. "A wanted criminal. We're not sure how he managed to get through Mistral customs, let alone Vale customs, but he got here. In Patch. Somehow. And you're the one that stopped him."

Grimacing, Yang mutters, "He was a symptom. Not a cause."

"That may be," Tai agrees, reaching out to his daughter. He rests his hand on her shoulder, squeezing the nape of her neck. Their eyes meet, and Yang's surprised to see pride there. "But you did a good thing today, Yang. They're launching an investigation into Junior and asking for eyewitnesses of this Russet James to come forward. No one likes that Junior's under suspicion, but you threw open the curtains today."

Junior.

The man that helped their family in their time of need.

Sucking in a deep breath, Yang whispers, "I never wanted to see Junior involved in this. He's not a bad man, Dad."

Taiyang's brow relaxes. He grunts softly, the wheels turning as he wonders what to say. When he decides on something, he says, "It's not a matter of good or bad. Junior did a good thing for us, Yang, no one's questioning that. But if there's one thing I know about Junior – it's that he's a business man. Right and wrong have their lines blurred in business sometimes. If he broke the law, he'll be found guilty - but that isn't your fault. He's a grown man."

"He's going to hate me, you know," she says, glancing down. "I won't be able to work in the garage anymore."

There's a moment of silence before Taiyang announces, "I'm going back to the force."

Yang's eyebrows rise. "Really?"

"Yeah," he affirms, leaning against the punching bag. "I figure two years is enough time to grieve. Maybe too much."

"…You took the time you needed."

"The point was, you don't need to worry about anything anymore other than your future," Taiyang remarks, his hand dropping from her shoulder. He throws a glance towards the house. "I'll support you, your sister, and Blake. If he wants to, so will Qrow. But it's time you started trying to be a kid again. Focus on school. Drama. Girls."

Yang drops her head. She looks down at her feet, reflecting on what that would mean. She's gotten so used to taking care of her family, providing, being one of the pillars of support, that it had become central to her day-to-day life. Her lips form into a hard line. She isn't sure that she can give it up, just like that. Go back to the monotony of school. Classes. Not only had she been a good mechanic, but she was a pretty good investigator. And she had enjoyed herself.

Softly, she whispers, "I don't know if I can…just…give it up."

"I never said give it up."

Taiyang beams at her as she looks up at him, one eyebrow rising.

"What?"

"You can join the auxiliary police," Tai suggests, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "Come out with me now and then for some real police work. I'll show you what it means to be a real detective. The guidelines. The safe, smart way to do things. You won't get a wage, but you'll be doing good things for people. Protecting them how they should be protected."

Eyes widening, the girl stares into her father's eyes for a moment in silence. She's never considered the auxiliary, let alone shadowing her Dad.

"This isn't to make up for slapping me earlier, is it? I know I deserved that."

Tai winces, shaking his head. "You did, but I shouldn't have slapped you. But no, it's not to make up for slapping you."

Lips spreading into a smile, Yang says, "Well, that's a shame. Because it would have."

The man grins in response. "I had a better idea."

"Yeah?"

"I'll let you shoot my gun. At tin cans."

" _Yes!_ "


	12. Chapter 11

High School part 3

Chapter 11

BLAKE

Adjusting the camera her teacher had loaned her, Blake wonders nervously if it had been a good idea to ask Yang back as a model. Among her fellow photography class, it was no big deal to ask for a model – they all knew what the project had to look like, what the teacher was asking. But to go out of the class to ask for a model to help them depict potentially intimate abstract concepts might've been taking it a step too far…

Anxiously, she chews on her lip.

Beside her, Yang takes a slow sip of hot chocolate. It was chilly for a spring morning, though it was normal for cold to last all the way up into late April in Patch. Yang wears her light brown leather jacket, a purple scarf with long tassels wrapped around her neck. She wears a dark t-shirt beneath, along with a pair of convincing jeggings and leather boots. Her hair is drawn up in a messy ponytail that Blake adores, her hair exploding out from the purple hair tie in a flame of intricate waves and curls.

The faunus's eyes linger on a particular curl that falls across the woman's leather-clad shoulder. The end flicks up like a tongue of fire, dancing as a breeze passes over them.

"What's wrong?"

The question breaks Blake from her reverie, her golden eyes focussing upon the woman's lilacs. Yang raises her cup to her lips, her full, scarlet lips puckering to touch the rim of the lid. Noiselessly, she draws liquid into her mouth, steam escaping along the swell of her girlish cheeks.

Blake's mouth goes dry. She looks down nervously, murmuring, "Nothing."

"You're nervous," Yang piques, leaning towards her.

"Who says?" she retorts, a little harsher than she means.

In response, the blond's shoulders rise and fall. She sits back against the bench. Her lilac gaze lifts up to look out across the river. With a sigh, Blake realizes she'd been harsh. Yang wouldn't push the matter, but she couldn't let it settle there.

"You make me nervous, sometimes," Blake mumbles, crossing her legs up on the bench. She fiddles with the buttons of the camera, zooming in and out on nothing in particular. Yang glances towards her, the corners of her lips twitching down. "It's not a bad thing. I just… I'm not used to seeing someone the way that I see you."

 _Another reason why this assignment is so awkward…_ She thinks to herself, recalling the topic of 'love' scrawled in huge letters across her teacher's whiteboard. In a shoot with a model, she was supposed to take ten to fifteen pictures that depicted the concept of 'love' in some way. It was such a broad topic, so diverse and subjective that she could've gotten away with depicting something platonic.

That isn't something she wants to do.

There's a certain quality that was instilled in her art, a sort of beauty in the honesty of her emotions. Her art was sometimes raw, and she likes that. All other assignments she had had been a challenge without Yang, who knew the ins and outs of her emotions more than anyone. However, the models of the photography class knowing what Blake wanted in her pictures, their communication and jargon the same, made her life easier sometimes.

But with Yang…

They could speak, but there was a divide between them. Blake could love Yang with all her heart, but that wouldn't change the fact that there was something in their genetic code that made them different. Blake was a faunus, and Yang was human. Blake's kind had been persecuted, discriminated, made slaves, and Yang's had never had to worry about those horrors. Could Yang know what it meant for Blake to love her? Could Yang possibly understand her?

Yang's so close to her. She's right there, sitting on the bench next to her, sipping on hot chocolate and waiting patiently for Blake to gather her wits. But she didn't know why she was afraid. Even if Blake could say it, would it make a difference?

 _Maybe I need another model,_ she thinks despondently, depression nagging at her previous self-confidence. Beneath her bow, her ears lower in sadness. It might be more difficult for someone else to seamlessly project Blake's emotions, but…

Yang's arm slides around her shoulders, pulling her into a little half-hug against her side. When Blake looks up at her, their gazes linger with one another.

"Take your time," Yang whispers, smiling reassuringly. "We have a whole two months ahead of us for you to do your final photoshoot. If you need time, I don't mind waiting."

Eyes softening, Blake looks away.

Yang would do these things to her. The blond has a way of knowing exactly how she's feeling, of knowing when the right time was to remind the noirette that she was there for her. For the faunus, the boxer had endless patience.

She remembers the first day they met, in the spot just across the path from them. She smiles to herself, the image of a wild-haired blond with more rips in her jeans than fabric walking towards her, a conflict on her face before she chose to invade Blake's space in some kind of vengeance for the faunus taking her spot.

Drawing a calming breath, Blake asks, "Can I tell you something?"

"Mm," the blond hums, nodding.

"I knew I was taking your spot when we first met," Blake confides, watching light dance across the rippling surface of the river. Smiling shyly, she fidgets with the camera once more as she says, "I walked the path a couple of times the days before and I would see you sitting underneath the tree, or sleeping. Mostly sleeping…"

The faunus remembers stopping at the side of the path, a flicker of yellow in her peripheral catching her eye. She had looked out at the willow tree, her gaze falling down to the girl sitting underneath and among long spindles of leaves, light trickling through the gaps in the tree cover and dancing along her face. Yang's arms were splayed across the ground, one leg bent upright and the other stretching across the grass. Her head rested on a pillow of thick, curly blond hair that catches the wind, flipping up and across the ground. Deeply asleep, the girl's reddish lips were parted to draw breath, her gently up-tilted nose blushed from the breeze. Her eyebrows, arching up in relaxation, held no tension.

Blake wanted that. She remembered thinking that maybe it was that spot – maybe that spot underneath the tree was some kind of miracle cure to the stress and fear of the years of pain and horror. She wanted to be like the blond, lying fearlessly out in the open, powerful in her vulnerability.

"I wanted to try it, too," Blake murmurs, resting her head on Yang's arm. "I saw you there nearly every day. I thought it was beautiful, that someone could be so unafraid and shameless. Falling asleep in public, like nothing in the world could hurt you. I envied your dauntlessness."

"Why?" the blond probes, tilting her head.

Turning back to the boxer, Blake's face lights up, a smile spreading across her face as something warm blossoms in her chest, something fearless. "Because you were the freest, most beautiful girl I'd ever seen, Yang."

Eyes widening, a blush colors the blond's pale cheeks. She beams back at the noirette, pressing closer to Blake. When she takes the camera, Blake looks at her in curiosity.

"What?"

"Come closer," Yang orders.

Deciding to humor her, Blake settles in closer, her side pressing tight against Yang's. Her head comes to rest upon Yang's collar, who in turn touches her cheek to the top of the noirette's head. She raises the camera up with one hand and snaps a picture of the both of them smiling wide, the light of the camera flash sparkling in their eyes.

RUBY

After her second period, Ruby rushes down to the cafeteria. If she's not quick, someone will scoop up her seat and she won't be able to reserve a spot for her and Weiss, let alone the other people that were coming to sit with them at times. When she gets there, Sun is already at the table with Neptune, a tall blue-haired dude with a bit of a cocky streak. She bounds towards them, doing a little jump so that she slammed down on the picnic-table style fixture with a loud crashing noise.

"Good morning!" she cries, grinning from ear to ear.

Neptune jumps at her entrance, but Sun simply grins.

"Hey, Ruby," the blond faunus replies, his tail swishing up. "I didn't know you had a second-period spare."

"I don't, I just snuck out a minute earlier."

"Port's class?"

"Port's class."

The two boys on the other side of the table nod knowingly.

Ruby sets her bag down beside her leg, rifling through it for the sandwich she'd packed earlier.

As she searches, Neptune leans forward on his elbows, his dark blue eyes serious. She notices him after a moment, stopping to meet his gaze.

"What?"

"Ruby, you're friends with Weiss, right?"

Sun scoffs. "Of course she is, idiot."

"I had to make sure!"

Nonchalantly, Ruby's gaze flicks between them. She waits for their bickering to come to an end, giving up on finding her sandwich. Resting her chin in her hand, she glances up at the clock as the bell blares in the overheads.

"Crap!" Neptune swears, going stock-stiff. "Quick, Ruby, do you think that Weiss would want to go on a date with me?"

The redhead raises an eyebrow. "What? How would I know?"

"I thought you were best friends!"

"So?" the girl shoots back.

"Don't girls talk about the people they like all the time?" Neptune asks, earning a prompt punch in the shoulder from Sun. "What? Don't they?"

"Sexist," Ruby remarks. "And no, at least Weiss and I don't. Blake's pretty private, too…"

At the mention of the noirette, Sun's face turns crestfallen. Ruby regrets it instantly, her teeth clicking as she shuts her mouth. Sun was a nice guy, a really caring person. By all rights, he would've been good for Blake. She didn't know if Blake and Sun had managed to patch things up between them last year or not, but Blake hadn't talked about it.

"Hey!" a chipper voice resounds in the cafeteria above the thunder of kids flooding into the room.

Surprised, Ruby looks up to see Yang walking in with Blake. They walked side by side, a camera hanging around Blake's neck and their books tucked in against their sides.

"I didn't think you'd be coming today," Ruby remarks, smiling as the two approach. Yang meets her gaze with a rising eyebrow. "Truent."

Yang ruffles her hair as she comes around her, pulling a little container out of her laptop bag. "At least I don't forget my lunch. Here."

Ruby lights up, snatching the sandwich away from her sister's hands and popping it open. She stuffs her mouth full of sandwich, grumbling around the bread, "Thanks, sis!"

The redhead ignores as her sister ruffles her hair again, wolfing down the sandwich like some sort of food demon. The conversation continues around her, with Yang and Neptune speaking more than Sun and Blake. Sun, on the other side of the table, can't keep his eyes off of Blake – his face contorted in some kind of conflict. When Ruby glances towards the girl, she sees why, noticing how Blake's hand lingers on Yang's.

 _Ouch._

"Just ask her out, Neptune," Yang drawls, sounding a little impatient. "What have you got to lose? It's not like she's seeing anyone."

"That makes me nervous, too," Neptune shoots back, frowning.

"Why?"

"Because she hasn't seen anyone for two years," the blue-haired boy whines, his eyes falling. "There are…rumors."

"Don't pay attention to them." Yang's matter-of-fact and highly annoyed. "She's probably leaving for Atlas University at the end of summer. Maybe she won't mind a fling."

Neptune looks perturbed at that. "You know, some people like to have a little more depth in a relationship than just a 'fling'."

Yang grins at that, but there's the glint of a threat in her eyes. "Oh? What're you implying?"

"Here we go," Ruby sighs.

"Yang…" Blake warns to the blond's side.

"I just meant…"

"Shut up," Sun groans to his side, dropping his head in his hand.

"Well, I mean, it's not like it's a bad thing…"

"What's not a bad thing?" Yang inquires, sounding innocent. She stares straight into Neptune's eyes so intensely Ruby swears she can see the kid's soul. She tilts her head. "Explain it to me."

Blake smacks her waist, though she can't hide the smirk on her face.

Wisely, the blue-haired boy backs down, mumbling, "Nothing. I'm an idiot."

"Yes, you are," Yang agrees, but reaches across the table to give him a friendly cuff of the shoulder. She winks at him. "Don't worry. I was just screwing with you."

The tension dissipates after that, and they engage in a conversation. After some time, Pyrrha and Nora come to join the table with Jaune and Ren by their sides – Ruby's usual lunch crew. She chirps a hello at them as they sit with their lunches, and all except Pyrrha give her an excited response. The redhead in question doesn't dare look up from her food, sneaking a glance towards Ruby every now and then.

 _I'll have to tell her there're no hard feelings,_ Ruby thinks to herself, not looking forward to that conversation.

"Oh, wow, gang's all here," Weiss' soprano voice resonates, and Ruby turns to see her coming towards the table. The redhead beams up at her, earning a reserved smile in response. She looks more casual than normal today, wearing a red and black t-shirt Ruby let her borrow and a pair of leggings. She comes to sit on Ruby's other side, her leg brushing against the younger girl's as she settles in. "Good morning."

"Good morning," a few people chirp in response.

Weiss's icy eyes fix on Ruby after a moment, narrowing. "You left me in English."

"It was the end of class," the redhead defends with a pout. "There's was like a minute to the bell."

"Try five."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah, the clock in the room is slow."

"Oh. Sorry."

Weiss's eyes soften and she smirks, shaking her head. "It's okay, dolt."

Though Ruby had once taken offense to it, 'dolt' had become something of a term of endearment between them. It had started a couple months ago, around the time when Weiss volunteered to help organize prom, and Ruby thought it marked a small step forward in their friendship. Weiss was beginning to come out of her shell, the stress of her day-to-day life forcing her to step down a level from her perfect heiress image. She doesn't dress as formally as she used to, figuratively and literally letting her hair down now and then. The first time Ruby had ever seen her dress in anything but a well-ironed blouse was about a year ago when the redhead came over to the Schnee manor to study with the platinum-haired girl.

"Weiss," Neptune calls loudly, hushing the table with his voice. He winces when everyone goes quiet, and says, "I have something to ask you."

Weiss's gaze flicks up to him, one white eyebrow rising in question. "Okay. What is it?"

Ruby looks away to shoot a glance towards Yang, who has a little smirk on her face. She furrows her brow at the blond, who notices her look with a wink. Silver eyes narrow in curiosity. Underneath the table, the boxer discretely pats her leg.

The redhead shoots a look to Blake, who's also watching the scene. The noirette simply shrugs.

"I was wondering…" Neptune pauses, scratching the back of his head before blurting, "Did you want to go out on a date with me?"

Ruby's lips form an 'o'. It wasn't the way that Ruby would've asked Weiss, considering the girl seldom liked to be put on the spot. She glances towards her; Weiss's ivory skin is bright red, her jaw dropping dumbly.

"Uh…"

Weiss's eyes search Neptune, and then the other people at the table, eventually falling to Ruby. Never had Weiss shown any express interest in anyone at the school, though Ruby's caught her watching the couples around the campus every now and then. Perhaps the girl secretly did like someone, that she really did want a relationship. So when Weiss's gaze meets Ruby's, the younger girl gently touches her foot to Weiss's in a sort of prodding motion.

Snapping to, the heiress' mouth snaps shut. Her blue gaze lifts up to Neptune and she smiles graciously. "I'd love to, Neptune."

The boy visibly deflates in relief, 'whew'-ing.

"That's an interesting development," Yang comments softly to Blake, who hums in response.

Ruby frowns, wondering what she could've meant.

YANG

"You're going to have a bit of a hard time getting accepted into university."

A lead brick of stress falls in her gut, her stomach twisting as she watches the guidance councilor pull up her grades. She was a mid-80s student, which wasn't half bad for Patch, but Yang was trying to set her sights out for a potential future outside of the island. She scratches at the arm of the plastic chair, glancing up at the white-haired councillor.

"What can I do?"

The man scratches at the stubble on his jaw. "You can put in a late application. You'll probably be wait-listed. Worst case, you get denied. And you'd probably be pushed to the next semester if you were accepted. Where were you hoping to apply?"

"Atlas," the blond replies. "And then Beacon, and then Vacuo."

"You'll have to pull up your marks for Atlas," the councilor remarks.

"How much?"

"Their general admissions average is mid-eighties, but they tend to be very competitive so you'll need something higher to stand out."

The rest of the appointment is just as painful. The councillor makes some thinly veiled jabs at her for being irresponsible, or dumb, but she ignores them all. When she walks out of the appointment, Blake's waiting for her. Classes have been over for about ten minutes, and the noirette promised she'd meet her if her appointment went longer than intended.

"Hey," Yang greets, her voice low and sad.

Blake gives her a concerned look. "What is it?"

They fall into step as they walk out of the school, the blond letting out a huff of breath. "I'm probably not going to make it into university in time to go with everyone."

"You shouldn't be worried about going with everyone," Blake remarks, frowning up at her. "Didn't you want to quit at the end of high school anyway? Become a private investigator?"

"I used to," she replies.

Between her father's encouragement and Qrow's teaching, a remarkable desire to execute justice has been instilled in Yang. She didn't have any hold-ups about heroism. But, for the past few months, Yang has been drunk on the thrill of danger and the satisfaction of solving the puzzles of investigation. All of these things combined in her to wake something that itches, restless for the chance to chase bad guys, take down bad guys, and maybe even fight bad guys. Of course, Yang wants to protect the people she cares about – but she also just really wants to walk in slow-motion away from an exploding building in the background.

And, in Yang's head, this is how she imagines what being a cop is like. She remembers the stories her father had to tell her about his exciting days as a cop, some of the terrible cases, and some of the boring cases – but the exciting ones were always fun to listen to. Part of Yang realizes that she's deluding herself, but there's a stubborn part of her that clings to this idea.

Additionally, being a cop would make her father proud.

She has to get a degree of some sort, and a bit more life experience under her belt.

"Come on." Blake takes her hand and the lead, walking in front of the blond. She pulls Yang towards town.

"Where are we going?"

"Don't you have a ritual, when you're down?" Blake reminds, glancing back at her with a smile. "Don't tell me you don't still go out to play pool when you're sad."

Yang grins. "I didn't know you knew about that."

"We've lived together for two years. You can't hide anything from me."

 _You, too,_ the blond thinks but doesn't say, smiling and allowing herself to be pulled along.

A large part of Yang loves that the girl of her dreams was taking her around town, parading her shamelessly. She wonders if Blake notices the looks people give them as they pass, a mixture of curiosity and scandal. Yang pays them no mind, her fingers lacing with Blake's.

They walk into town towards The Grill, the only franchise bar on the entire island. Of course, they couldn't partake in the alcohol, but the Grill has no qualms with allowing them to play their games. They had pool, foosball, and even an old Pac-Man arcade machine cordoned to a balcony apart from the drinkers. Yang enjoys pool, though only if she's alone or playing with someone who's really bad at the game.

When they walk inside, the coppery scent of beer and the sweeter scent of seared burger patties with barbeque sauce assaults their noses. There's not so many people in the bar yet, but as they pass by a sign that reads 'Karaoke Night', Yang guesses that won't last so long. The Grill preferred the wooden look, fitting in well with the rest of Patch, its well-lacquered dark chestnut logs and furniture making it seem more country than mainstream. They mount a set of wooden stairs, Yang nodding to the bartender across the room that notices them walking in.

"You're going to have to teach me how to pool," Blake tells her as they approach one of the tables. She goes towards the side of the balcony with the wall.

Unclipping the latches at the side, Yang peels away the leather cover to reveal the green felt. The balls are already racked up in the middle with the triangle. The Grill has nice pool tables, made of the same chestnut wood with beautiful clawed feet for legs. They're cleaned regularly, not a speck of dust to be found. She folds the cover up and hangs it over the balcony rail, wiggling an eyebrow at the returning noirette.

"Practice round for the noobie?" she jibes playfully.

"Unless you get pleasure from an obvious win," Blake retorts, standing across the table from her with the pool cues.

"I suppose I'll go easy on you."

"Gee, thanks," Blake chuckles, rolling her eyes.

Yang squares off, and they start taking shot for shot at random balls. Despite being new, Blake is pretty good – her hand-eye coordination top compared to Yang's, her spatial awareness serving her well. She schools the blond in a couple shots, not that Yang really cares.

Standing back, Yang inadvertently gives herself a blessed view, her eyebrows shooting up as she watches Blake bend over the table. Her black hair falls over her shoulder, messy in a carefree, sexy way. Her jeans are tight, accentuating the swell of her bottom, her shirt falling slightly to reveal her lean-muscled waist. Her legs straighten, and Yang can see the bulge of her calf as it flexes to hold her weight, the way her ass tightens…

Yang swallows, flushing red, averting her eyes. _God, it's hot in here._

The game ends with Yang's mind in the gutter, and Blake taking the win.

"Going easy on me, still?" Blake taunts with a smirk.

Clearing her throat, Yang shoots her a mock-glare. "Beginners luck."

"Mmm. Sounds like hurt pride."

Approaching the table, Yang gives her a hot stare, her eyebrow twitching up flirtatiously. She leans close to the noirette, whispering, "I'll show you hurt pride, big time."

Blake bares her teeth, biting the air in front of Yang's nose. The gesture makes the blond's heart hammer; it's endearing and coy. Her amber eyes gleam beneath the curtain of her thick, dark eyelashes. "The only thing you've been doing big time is talking."

"O-ho," Yang laughs darkly, her tone low and sultry. "It's on now."

They play for hours, until the bar is packed and there are people in the lower levels making fools of themselves with karaoke. Blake is unprecedentedly good at pool, savagely showing up Yang with every cue stroke. She wins one game after another like it's the easiest thing in the whole world. Yang doesn't even mind, enjoying the way Blake's eyes light up, the way she smiles when she teases, loving that the noirette was cutting loose. The banter flew between them, back and forth without pause. Blake talked smack like no one's business, and Yang adores every minute of it.

At some point during the evening, a couple guys who overhear Blake challenge her to a game – and she beats them, too. They bond over the game, but the guys move on quickly to something more to their tastes, and the girls eventually tire of pool. They start a game of foosball with one another, spinning their teams with manic energy. Yang let's out a voice-broken cry and Blake bursts out laughing at her, forgetting to stop the ball from rolling past her goalie.

"You girls look like you're having fun!"

The voice breaks both of them from their game. They look up at Coco, who comes towards them with a tray of drinks. The brunette winks at them, lifting two of the pints off of the platter and placing them on their table.

"Here, enjoy."

"I didn't know you worked here," Yang comments, a friendly smile on her face. She takes one of the beers gladly, lifting it to her lips and sipping at the coppery liquid. "How old are you?"

Coco smirks at her. "You only have to be eighteen to serve alcohol on Patch, hun."

Blake tilts her head at the liquid. "What is it? Beer?"

"Stella," Coco informs her, wiggling her eyebrow. She makes a jabbing motion with her chin towards the blond. "Nothing too hard. This one's a punk with the drunks."

Yang scoffs. "I am not."

The noirette flushes, lifting the pint up and taking a sip herself. Her eyes go wide and she coughs, barely managing to swallow the translucent yellow liquid.

"That's gross," Blake mutters. "How do you drink this?"

"You get used to it," Coco laughs, waving as she turns to leave. "Have fun!"

When she disappears down the stairs, Blake turns to her and asks, "Didn't know she worked here?"

"I had no idea," Yang replies, a sheepish look on her face. She notices a glint in Blake's amber gaze and moves towards the noirette. Resting her hand on Blake's shoulder, she gently tells her, "But it's okay. She doesn't mean a thing to me. You're all I care about. So let's keep having fun, and not waste this beer. Yeah?"

Blake relaxes, letting out a sigh as she takes a bigger sip this time. "Think she'll give us more?"

"Oh, probably," Yang says, wrinkling her nose. "She likes to get people hammered."

"Huh. Maybe it's a good thing she's here, then," the noirette jokes, smirking into her mug. Yang notices the flush of her cheeks has only gotten brighter. "I've never gotten drunk before."

Grinning, Yang says, "Enjoy yourself. I'll take care of you."

As the night persists, so to do the drinks. Yang stops herself at two beers, watching as a very inebriated Blake continues on to down her fourth pint. She can handle her alcohol, it seems, Yang remembering the first time she'd gotten drunk only taking her two or three pints. Coco switches up their drinks, bringing them an assortment of the tap options. Now, Blake downs Guinness with the enthusiasm of a professional, her lips smacking as she lower the mug.

"That one was strong," she admits, blinking.

Yang chuckles, sipping at a glass of water. "Which did you like most?"

"It's a tie between that one and the Rickard's," the noirette replies, the faintest slur in her voice. "Which one was the one I just had?"

"Guiness," the boxer tells her.

"Hmm."

Blake's attention diverts to something else, she looks out over the balcony, noticing a group of people by the karaoke stage dancing together. Yang's eyes flick towards them and back to her noirette friend, eyebrows rising curiously as the girl presses her lips together. Her eyebrows furrow, hesitation all over her face. Without needing to ask, Yang already knows what she wants, and that she's too shy to ask for herself. Down below, the dancers don't seem to care much that the versions of the songs played were terribly sung.

"Blake?"

The girl looks up at her. "Mhm?"

Reaching to her, Yang takes her hand. She smiles as Blake's blush darkens, asking, "Want to dance with me?"

"Absolutely," Blake answers, her fingers squeezing Yang's.

They leave behind their mugs, excitement in the bounce of their steps as they navigate their way down the stairs. Blake puts a hand on her shoulder, masking the inebriated sway of her steps. Yang doesn't mind, leading her into the group of dancers.

One of the first things the two had bonded over was music, though Yang doesn't think they've ever taken a moment to enjoy it together. She moves to the rhythm of the Sia song in the background, the nervous singer on the stage half-singing, half-stating the lyrics playing on the monitor over their heads. With the rest of the dancers around them there, it was easy to get into, Yang's body finding a natural movement.

Blake stands, watching her and the others for a moment.

"Come on," Yang laughs, grabbing her other hand and pulling her into the crowd. Blake's eyes widen at her, nearly tripping over her feet to get close to the blond's side again. "Relax, no one cares."

Cutting loose, Yang feels no shame as she puts her body into the dance. She doesn't release Blake's hands, moving them to and fro, up into the air playfully, manipulating her so she wouldn't be so self-conscious about looking silly. In return, Blake scoffs and does purposefully idiotic moves, bumping her hip into Yang's. They burst into a fit of snickers, nearly bumping one another into other dancers as they endeavor to be the silliest people there. It's a small war of leg-jerks and thumb-pointing, more akin to full-body dry heaves than any kind of art.

The seriousness of the people around them dissolves around their energy, and it isn't long before everyone's gone and done something ridiculous. A couple of guys near them display a very talented rendition of the Riverdance, their stomachs bouncing in unison as they exaggerate their movements. Even as the songs change, the attitude of the dancers doesn't. There's a little circle that forms in the middle – two people going about a variety of moves that could only have been popular thirty years ago: the Worm, the Sprinkler… There was a brave, slightly uncoordinated Jitterbug at some point, as well.

Blake and Yang loom off to the side, laughing as they watch the scene. They sway their bodies in unison, the blond's arm circling the noirette's waist.

Eventually, the energy comes down. Slower, more controlled dancing, makes a comeback and this time Blake isn't so nervous to participate. The noirette copies Yang's movements, turning herself around so that her buttocks presses flush between the valley of Yang's hips. The blond rests her hands lazily on the curve of Blake's waist as the noirette's hand snakes in behind her neck, pulling her closer. They enjoy the intimacy of the moment, Yang's senses pleasantly overwhelmed by the coconut of Blake's shampoo.

Sighing into shiny black hair, Yang allows it when Blake draws one of her hands from her hip, guiding her palm against her abdomen. Her muscles are tight, her skin warm beneath her pale yellow blouse. Turning her head, Blake twists to press a soft kiss against Yang's cheek.

"Hmm," Yang hums pleasantly, her thumb lightly trailing around one of the buttons of Blake's shirt. "What was that for?"

Blake smiles at her. "For reminding me not to take myself too seriously."

"Anytime," Yang whispers, closing her eyes as she dips her face in against the nape of Blake's neck.

* * *

A/N: Well, hello there. Hope the silliness didn't get you too much - it's good for the soul. Thank you for the reviews and the follows! I'm surprised by the attention this story's getting, and very humbled.

Nightflare: Sorry I didn't get back to you last chapter. The app should just be called FictionPress or Fanfiction if I remember correctly. Thank you for your reviews!

Pandahero2p: Thanks! I love that you're enjoying the story!

FoldedHands: You pose some interesting questions! Interesting questions I'll let the narrative answer, because, well... you'll see. Thank you for your input! I always look forward to it.

We're coming up on the end of the first volume of this story, which is the Highschool bit. There's still a bunch of chapters to go, so don't worry. If there's still some interest in a continuation of the story to the rest of their lives, I'll keep posting it! Thank you very much for reading.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

BLAKE

Last period couldn't have passed more slowly. It didn't help that Yang would poke her head into the window frame of the door, making faces of her from the hall. She, along with her sister and Weiss, were waiting outside for her class to finish – the sisters taunting her from the door with twisted expressions. Ruby presses her mouth into the window, her nose flattening against the glass. The window fogs around her face. Following suit, Yang does the same thing.

 _'You guys are disgusting!'_ Weiss's voice resounds out in the hallway.

That's when a couple people in the class room start taking notice, trying to keep their laughter quiet as the sisters' tongues sweep across the glass. Blake wrinkles her nose, silently agreeing with the heiress. She can't seem to look away, her eyes narrowing as she watches Yang's tongue press into the window. For some reason, it's blue.

The teacher notices as well, gawking for a second before yelling, "If you two don't cut that out, I'll have you suspended!"

And just like that, the sisters disappear from the window.

It's another four minutes before the teacher finishes lecturing the class, and people rush out the door. Blake is one of the last to leave, slipping her backpack over her shoulder.

As she passes, the teacher mutters, "Tell your friends to try to contain their excitement. The game won't start for another half-hour. That was Ruby, wasn't it?"

"Sorry," Blake says automatically, flushing. "Ruby's part of the team, and Yang's…Yang."

The teacher grunts softly at that.

As she walks out into the hall, Ruby immediately tackles her into a fierce hug. She swings off of the taller girl's frame, yelling, "It took you so loooong!"

Blake plants her feet, lucky not to have fallen over, her gaze turning to Yang and Weiss. The two stand off to the side, Yang with a blue slushee in hand and Weiss watching the scene with a rising eyebrow. The noirette makes eye contact with the blond, who gives her a small, sad smile before pointing with her chin to something behind her.

It's only when she turns to look does she understand.

Sun approaches from down the hall, his mouth opening as he slows towards them. His eyes meet Blake's, and he softly asks, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

At the sound of his voice, Ruby pauses. Her silver gaze dances between them, lingering on Blake's face for a moment before Yang says, "C'mon, Rubes, she'll catch up with us."

"Okay," the redhead replies, releasing Blake.

Blake smiles down at her, ruffling her hair like Yang would. The girl gasps and makes a loud squawk of protest before wiggling out of reach. With a little wave, Blake turns to Sun and follows him down the hall.

As it turns out, talking really means walking. They head across the field where players were setting up the field and practicing before the game, walking along the path towards the willow tree. As they go, Sun seems nervous, looking down at the ground and scratching the back of his neck, like he's unsure of what to say. They walk all the way to where the path bends close to the river, to Yang and Blake's spot, until they finally stop.

 _Huh, ironic,_ Blake thinks with a small smile. Sun wouldn't know what this place meant to her, so she waits patiently as he stands at the side of the river.

"I…" he begins, trailing off just as quickly. His tail sways slowly behind him. "I know I upset you, last year with the dance… When I didn't show up."

A couple months ago, the memory would've left her rolling her eyes, but Blake recalls it with a shrug. It's not that she forgot, just that she didn't care anymore. "I guess. If you're going to apologize, it's okay. I forgave you a while ago."

Sun turns to her with a surprised look. He smiles wide. "Really?"

"Yeah," Blake answers, smiling reassuringly. "Besides, you're the one that missed out. I had a good night."

The dark look returns to his face, and he looks away from her again. From the way his shoulders tense and the way his arms fold in front of his chest, she gets the feeling that this really wasn't about the dance. Sighing, she sits down in the grass beside him, and asks, "Okay, what is it?"

Brushing his fingers through his spiky hair, Sun sits down beside her. He curls up so his elbows rest on his knees, a look that seems odd on him. Glancing towards her, he says, "I was an idiot letting you go alone. I'm sorry I ditched you."

"It's ok-"

"No, I mean…" Sun interrupts, looking into her eyes. "I… I thought we could move past it and talk it out, like regular couples. You know?"

Frowning, Blake reminds him, "We never made that distinction together, Sun."

"That's a cop-out and you know it."

The cat faunus winces at that, her ear twitching beneath her bow. To a degree, she did know that. She's been hiding her feelings for Yang since long before the whole dance thing – in fact, it wasn't until Yang had swept in to take his place that she'd even seriously entertained those thoughts. But that didn't change the fact that she'd led Sun on.

"You're right," she breathes, her eyes not leaving his. "I led you on, Sun. I'm sorry, it was a really shitty thing to do, and you deserve better."

Blake means every word, but the monkey faunus looks none the happier for her honesty. She has to give it to his character, though. After a few moments of staring out at the river, Sun starts to relax a little. The sadness doesn't leave his expression, but nonetheless, he manages a smile. With a groan, he rifles his fingers through his hair before yelling, "Ugh! Okay. Good."

She raises an eyebrow. "You okay?"

"I will be," he answers, nodding. "I should've come to you sooner, but I doubt the answer would've been any different. You and Yang, huh?"

"So you did know," the cat faunus remarks.

"Yeah…" Sun meets her gaze once more. "I guess I knew it from the day we met. There was something between you two, even though you weren't even talking yet."

Blake chuckles. "You think so? We bonded over you, actually."

He makes a face. "Seriously?"

"Yang encouraged me to come out of my shell," she implies, her eyes rising to the sun in the sky. She watches as clouds drift across the sky, streaks of darkness beneath them as they block the sun's rays, casting splotches of shadows across the ground. "I wasn't sure how to handle your advances. She helped me see it was okay…to move on. I'm just sorry I didn't know my real feelings right off the bat."

"It has to be difficult," Sun empathizes. He plucks at the grass. "I mean, I liked a human once… It's not that it turned out bad, they just didn't understand that you just don't… You know. Touch."

"Hmm. Yeah."

"And there's some cultural differences, some queues we can understand that they just don't," he continues, shaking his head. "It was tough, so I decided it wasn't for me. Humans are attractive, but it's hard trying to get them to understand certain things."

"I haven't gotten that far with Yang yet," the cat faunus admits, her ears flattening shamefully against her head.

At that, Sun's jaw drops. "You haven't? Why not?!"

Blake looks away.

There's a few seconds of silence before Sun places his hand on her shoulder. She doesn't glance back towards him until he squeezes her deltoid, his touch warm, comforting. Sun's eyebrows knit in the center, his lips dimpling as he frowns at her.

"Blake, you have to tell her," he says, his dark eyes flicking between hers. "She has a right to know."

Exhaling softly, she whispers, "You're right, Sun."

"Then what's the trouble?"

That was the question.

Why didn't she tell Yang?

The shackles of her past hold her back. Cold, black and red shackles that wind around her heart and tear her away from any thought of admission, of truly moving on. In her darkest moments, she would re-experience Adam – the abuse, the coldness in his eyes, the deception both he and her heart played on her. Adam, the criminal, the boy who would murder small animals and, eventually, the human in charge of their group home. Adam, who had come back to stalk her. He had not always been so twisted. The culprit for his misgivings was years of anger and abuse, he never had an easy life – but neither did any faunus. To her, he was the symbol of what it meant to be a faunus. An aching, bloody reminder that she was not human.

Blake thought once that, if she denied herself, she could run as far away from that life as possible. Play human, she told herself. If she's human, opportunities to work in places a faunus never could would elevate her away from the threat. Away from the violence. She'd be safe, maybe even happy – as happy as she could be in hiding. Her time in Patch has done little to chip away at that paranoia, though every day she finds herself questioning if this is the life she truly wants. To never be truly open with her partner, to never really be free…

An image of that blond, lying under the willow tree, floats to the surface of her mind.

Yang, who was always so gentle and patient. The boisterous, brutally honest blond who wouldn't hesitate to push some poor sod into a sink-or-swim position; the protective, uncannily caring and loving boxer who would stand by her friends no matter what; the beautiful, endearing muse for Blake's art. Yang is everything that Adam was not. She is peace, love, comfort – the light that pierces through the darkness of Blake's mind. She is hope.

Dipping her head, Blake wraps her arms around her legs and hugs them to her chest.

Sun frowns at her. "You're scared."

Slowly blinking, she nods in affirmation.

Sighing, the monkey faunus murmurs, "You're going to have to make a choice, sooner rather than later. She's not going to wait all her life for someone who can't be honest with her."

"I know that."

And she really does.

 _That just makes it more difficult…_

YANG

"Are you worried?"

"Hum?"

Weiss gazes at her as she takes a huge bite of hot dog, cringing a little when the blond reveals the chewed up contents in her mouth. Only then does the heiress look away, grumbling, "You and your sister are two of the grossest people I've met."

"Oh yeah," Yang says through a half-chewed bun and wiener doused in mustard. "Talk dirty to me."

Rolling her eyes, Weiss looks out over the field.

The game started a few minutes ago, but Ruby wasn't on the field yet, so neither of them pays too much attention. It was a good day for a game – warm, despite the numerous clouds spotting the sky above. Weiss and Yang sits at the height of the rafters, apart from the soccer moms and their families of tens of billions of children screaming their proto-human faces off whenever someone kicks the ball – not that Yang finds that annoying, _really_. All things considered, it actually is pleasant. Yang likes Weiss, and hotdogs, and the pained expressions on the faces of the mothers that can't control their kids.

Swallowing her mouthful, Yang asks, "Okay, but seriously, what did you mean? Worried about what?"

"You know, Sun and Blake," Weiss answers, visibly surprised at her question. "They used to date, you know."

"Uh huh."

"Doesn't their talk concern you at all?"

Yang blinks at that. "No. If anything, I'm glad they're going to try and patch things up. It's about time, right? He's a cool dude and Blake needs some cool friends."

Weiss glares at her.

"What?"

"You're both the least romantic people I've ever met," the white-haired girl grumbles, resting her chin in her hand. Her lip sticks out in the tiniest of pouts. Yang watches her for a few moments, ready to shrug off the comment, until Weiss blurts, "A _little_ jealousy wouldn't kill you. In fact, it's human. You both are inhuman."

Smirking, the blond asks, "This about my sister, Weiss?"

In the game, a goal is scored – and the kids start shrieking at the top of their lungs. The girls wince at the sudden noise, though it's not too distracting that Weiss can't stop glaring at the blond. Yang smiles back at her as she takes an intentionally gigantic bite of her hotdog. She takes pleasure in the blush that blossoms across Weiss's ivory skin, enjoying the annoyed twitch in her brow.

"Pest."

"I love Blake," Yang confides after she swallows, sincerity in her words. The change in her tone makes Weiss' face soften. "I do. And there's a little part of me that worries she might want to be with Sun, but if that's what she chooses then I'm going to respect that. But, I doubt she will. I trust her. She wouldn't lead me on."

"She led Sun on," the heiress points out.

"That…might've been partially my fault," Yang admits, frowning to herself. When the girl gives her an odd look, she explains, "I kind of encouraged her to give him a shot. They hit it off on their first couple of dates, so I thought it'd be good for her. You know? She was shy."

"She's still shy."

"Less shy than before."

"Not really."

"What? Of course she is."

"I don't think she was really shy to begin with," Weiss replies, shrugging. "I think she was purposefully trying to close herself off from everyone else. Except you, because you're you."

Yang makes a face. "What?"

"You're what she needed," the white-haired girl remarks. She reaches to Yang's hotdog, pulling the blond's entire arm over so she could steal a bite. She wrinkles her nose, clearly unused to copious amounts of mustard.

Yang smirks at her visible shiver. "Enjoy that?"

"Too much mustard," she croaks, swallowing thickly. "But anyway, sometimes when we're feeling down, there's one kind of person that's going to pull us out of our pit. You were that for her. And I think you still are."

"Huh. That's a nice thought."

Yang puts her feet up on the seat in front of them, keeping her eyes on the game now. Pyrrha's running alongside a girl Yang didn't remember the name of, dribbling a ball between the other team's players.

Remembering something, the blond comments, "Hey, by the way, not that you're anyone to talk about leading people on. Neptune? What was that?"

"I…I'm not leading him on," Weiss murmurs. Her voice is soft, monotone as though to mask her sadness. "I told him I still had feelings for Ruby, and he wants to go out anyway."

"You could just come clean," Yang points out. "To her, I mean."

Ironically, the coach calls Ruby out into the field to replace Neo. She takes the receiver side as they line up for another kick off, Pyrrha meeting her in the center. When the ball gets slammed back towards Patch's team, the two girls explode forward – their teamwork like clockwork now. Ruby, the faster of the two, catches the ball while Pyrrha finds a way to get clear of any of their team. They set up trick shots to keep the other team away. Afraid for a cleated foot to the face, Yang assumes.

Weiss leans on her elbows, watching as Pyrrha kicks the ball straight up, ducking to let Ruby do a crazy flip over her head, hitting the ball with the back of her foot. It goes flying, bouncing off the ground between the goalie's legs and into the net.

"She's gunna go to university on a sport's scholarship," Weiss breathes, wistful. "Probably to Mistral, because they're gunna pay the most for her."

Yang frowns. "You know she applied to Atlas, right?"

"Huh?"

By the shocked look on the heiress's face, Yang can tell that Ruby hadn't made her decisions public. She sighs, "Ruby doesn't want to go school for sports. She applied to Atlas's mechanical engineering program. She probably wanted to surprise you."

Weiss blinks. "Why wouldn't she want to go for a soccer scholarship?"

"Because soccer isn't the most important thing to her," Yang replies with a grin. "Duh."

They fall into silence, Weiss looking out at the game as Yang's eyes drift away. She scans the numbers of screaming kids, taking a bite of her hot dog as she notices a man standing at the bottom of the rafters, near the exit. She freezes, her eyes fixing on the man's coal black eyes. He has bright red hair that spikes out at the top, nearly masking the two darker scarlet horns that protrude from his hairline, arching back over his head. His eyebrows are thin, dark lines above his eyes. He has a pointed nose, his mouth twisted into a sneer at her. He has a broad jaw and a long, though thin, chin. His lanky form is dressed in a stark black pea coat, a red shirt beneath that shows through the buttons, and dark slacks to match.

"Stay here," Yang orders, standing up. She hands Weiss her hotdog, ignoring the girl's protests at her leaving and making her way across the rafters. Her eyes don't leave him, and he waits for her to hit the stairs before he goes to the exit. She follows him, her heart pumping as she forces herself to remain calm.

 _That's him._

Yang remembers the day Blake was painting her, when she'd spotted the man across the river, watching them.

 _That's the guy who was following her._

Jaw tightening, Yang slips through the exit and spots him walking towards the school. He turns his head to see her, ensuring that she was still there. Yang refuses the urge to run at him, not wanting to scare him off in case he's faster than her. When he goes into the art building, he swings the door open wide enough that she can follow in behind him.

"Hey," Yang yells, her eyes adjusting to the darkness inside the school. She frowns. Even as her eyes strain to see, the darkness in the halls is a little thick. She moves to one side of the hall, edging along the room. She can't even see the giant griffon statue in the main entrance – the light that trickles in from behind is too faint to illuminate the whole room.

 _Not good._

Recalling the area from memory, Yang puts one hand against the wall and one hand out into open air to help guide her. She feels as she passes corners and her fingers feel the indents of doorways, making her way into the hallway just in front of the main doors. She's walked these halls for four years, she tells herself. She can navigate them blind if she needs to. Turning down a hall, she thinks she sees a silhouette at the next corner.

"Having trouble seeing?" The man's voice is deep and just slightly hoarse, but he speaks in a honeyed tone, like one would to a child. The shadow in the corner moves, and she traces it behind another wall. Yang follows him.

"You're Adam Taurus," Yang states, using her voice to help her tell where the wall is in front of her. The acoustics are off, and she realizes it's only a foot in front of her. Wincing, she rotates herself, peering into more darkness. "You came back here for Blake, right?"

Adam scoffs, and she can hear him chuckling. His voice resonates off the walls, echoing through the school. She listens hard, inching forward slowly.

"Don't presume to know anything about her and I," Adam growls. He steps loudly in front of her, like he'd just been a couple meters away. "She loves me. She has to."

 _Have to be more careful._

Yang listens as the footsteps grow softer and softer. She goes around another corner, pausing when she sees the man's shape in a slightly lighter spot down the hall. Adam turns to her as she comes into view.

"There's a trait you humans have that faunus don't," Adam growls. Even in the darkness, she can feel his gaze like holes burning into her. "Do you know what it is?"

"What?" she asks, and he disappears into the darkness again.

"Ethnocentricity," his voice rings out loudly, beckoning her further. He keeps talking, and she keeps following his voice, "Do you know what that means? You're too focussed on your own kind to know any better about the faunus. You've always been this way. Since you conquered Vacuo, since you shipped us to Menagerie…"

"It's worked for us so far, hasn't it?" Yang taunts. She stops when she feels a door open in front of her, and steps around it. This room is darker than the rest, more like a solid wall of black as she steps inside. Her heart rate rises as the shadows bare down on her. "I mean, we did conquer your kind."

Adam snorts, sounding far angrier now, "Humans are many – far more than faunus are. So you can be ethnocentric and still win – that's true."

He's close. She can feel him walking around her, stirring the air.

"But when it's just one of you," Adam's voice hisses with menace, "you lose that safety. If you like, I'll teach you something about faunus right now."

"Yeah? What's that?" she lifts her fists up, twisting in the direction she hears his voice.

"Most faunus see perfectly in the dark."

 _Click._

The lights flood the room. Yang cries out as white sears into her vision, wincing under the cover of her hands as her eyes burn. She doesn't see it when Adam lunges for her, feeling a fist crack up against her jaw. Her teeth crash together, her head snapping back up towards the light. Taking a step back to catch herself, she manages to brace just in time as another punch slams into her gut. The breath wooshes out of her lips and she lets out a grunt, her abdominal muscles clenching without her control from the blow. She's helpless to do anything as his fist strikes into her jaw once more, a powerful haymaker that spins her off her feet. When her head cracks against the side of desk, everything turns black.

BLAKE

The game is well underway by the time she gets back to the school. Sun's words ring out in her mind, and her insecurity weighs heavily on her shoulders. Of course, he was right. She would have to make a choice soon – a choice between if she'd finally let her best friend, the only person in a long time she'd ever truly had feelings for, into her life one hundred percent…or if she'd walk away from her after this school year. It's likely to happen, even if they go to the same school – there were new people, people with common interests, which Yang could use to help her move on.

The thought makes Blake's heart twist. There's a quiet throb in her chest, a dull ache that reminds her that she might not _need_ Yang, but there was no doubt of her importance in the noirette's life. Slowly, she stops in the middle of the path.

Pulling out her phone, she types out, ' _Feeling a bit sick. Gunna go home.'_ She sends the message to Yang, knowing the blond would understand.

Turning around, she starts walking back towards the Xiao Long house. The theme of her life revolved around the blond for the past two years. The reason for her safety, the reason she had a place to live, the reason for the flutter in her chest, the emotions that swell in her heart – all because of Yang. Her muse, her home.

 _You know what you want._

The way Yang had spoken to her, the night that she'd admitted to Blake that she had feelings for her, was perfect. Her voice low, sultry, but honest. Yang's lilac eyes were a maelstrom of passion and tenderness that made Blake's knees weak. Her words drew a primal reaction from her, breaking a chain that held back a torrent of pent up emotions, of attraction. Her heart beat with every word she had said.

 _You want passion._

 _God, yes,_ Blake's mind had replied.

 _An adventure._

The way her hair silhouetted her face, fiery locks that framed her cutely chubby cheeks, the childish little smile on her face that promised mischief, curiosity. Eyes that gaze at her, streaks of red and purple that make a bright, vibrant purple, that dare her.

 _A_ little _danger._

Blake can't help but smile at that line. It seemed so contrary, so different to what she felt at Yang's side. They could be doing anything at all, and as long as Yang was there, she was invincible, powerful. _How could I ever be in danger when you're by my side?_

 _An epic, legendary love…_

That kiss. That kiss held promises of all these things. Yang wants to be everything that Blake is looking for, not knowing that she was it all along. She couldn't put her feelings into words, so she kissed Yang back with everything she had. If she hadn't have panicked, if she had've just allowed Yang to sweep her up off her feet, if she could've just enjoyed herself… They would've been together. Blake knows this, and begins to realize something.

Yang is waiting for her.

Blake's breath leaves her in a soft gasp.

After that night, Yang hadn't pushed the issue with Blake any further. They'd grown closer, acted more intimate than ever, but Yang hasn't posed any question to her. They were at an impasse, and Blake had thought she'd just been waiting to hear about her past with Adam…but that was not the case. Yang is waiting, now, to finally hear a real admission out of Blake. She's waiting for Blake to trust her. Waiting for that moment when there's nothing between them that could keep them away from each other.

 _She knows._

Blake's hand reaches up to her ribbon, her fingers folding around one of her catlike ears. Wearing a ribbon every day for two years, Blake's only ever seen her ears after a shower or when she's had to change ribbons. Seldom has she accepted what she is, trying so hard to be something she is not – and Yang knew.

 _She knows, and she hasn't pushed me away._

Yang's ringtone – _Life in the Fast Lane_ by the Eagles – resounds from her pocket. The blond has a sixth sense. Whenever Blake's thinking of her, there she is. She accepts the call and raises the phone to her ear, breathing, "Yang."

 _"Hello, my love."_

Just like that, Blake's world shatters. His voice through her phone was pervasive, an invasion of her deepest feelings, her heart of hearts. He got to Yang. He has Yang. The thoughts run through her mind a thousand miles a second. But through the shock, there's something hot, bubbling. Something Yang helped her realize she could be. It roils, tumultuous and hissing. Her hand quakes as anger rushes through her body, her jaw muscles popping.

"Adam," she growls, amber eyes narrowing. "Where's Yang? What've you done with her?"

 _I'll kill you. If you touched a single hair on her, I'll kill you._

Blake burns up. She clenches her phone, her knuckles going bright white. She wants to scream, wants to hit something. For the second time in her life, Adam meddled. He stuck influence into her life once, messed her up and left her reeling. Now he reaches in once more – did he think she would just allow it? Allow him to hurt Yang? Allow him to destroy her?

 _Not this time._

 _"So I was right,"_ Adam drawls, _"you are together. I wasn't sure if it was the boy. I'm disappointed, Blake."_

"Don't fuck with me, Adam," Blake snarls, holding the phone in front of her face. "Where are you?"

His laughter across the line only fuels her rage.

 _"Come find us, Blake."_

He hangs up, and the cat faunus lets out a bloodcurdling cry of frustration, throwing her phone into the grass in her anger.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for all your reviews! I will be continuing the story after the High School arc, but I'll be taking a break to write a (hopefully) short fantasy-romance Bumbleby series inspired by the move Your Name. Highly recommend that anime, by the way, if you haven't seen it.

Night Flare: Thanks! Glad it's still good!

Moth3rlyLov3: Fluff makes the world go round!

SakraDavanamWR: Thanks! Glad to know you're still reading!

kerringtontaylor6: Oh, wow, that's quite a compliment! Thank you!

FoldedHands: Only if she gets caught! Wink. I had initially planned out their lives all through to adulthood, to be honest!


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

RUBY

Three days.

It's been three days and no sign of Yang.

For the past two days, Ruby and a couple of her teammates cut classes to search the city for her older sister. They stayed out well into the night, their group smaller than when they started, Pyrrha and Nora opting to walk her home.

"We'll find her," Pyrrha tells the younger girl softly, touching her shoulder. "Yang's a strong girl."

On her other side, Nora has her arms crossed behind her head. She gazes up into the sky, an uncharacteristic frown on her face as she murmurs, "Where could she have been taken to, anyway? Do you think there's someone in town that would keep their mouth shut about something like this?"

Already in a foul mood, the thought of the people she's grown up with hiding information about Yang makes her heart plummet. What has Yang done to anyone? She's always been so helpful, so protective, and so caring of everyone that comes into her life. She would give up her right arm to keep someone she loved safe. She would go out of her way in all things just to make someone's life easier. How could anyone…

Ruby's eyes harden as she glares at the ground.

"Try to get some rest," Pyrrha murmurs as they come up on Ruby's house. They stop before the walkway along the side of the driveway. There's no car in the driveway, which means that Qrow and Taiyang are probably out looking for Yang still. Blake would be with them, the girl a rare sight at home as she puts all her efforts towards searching the island.

"Thanks, guys," Ruby says quietly, peeling away from them. She just wants to be in bed, and forget the world exists for a little while.

"She's taking this hard." Nora's voice says to Pyrrha jut as she opens the front door.

 _You try having your sister kidnapped,_ a bitter voice responds in Ruby's mind. She closes the door hard, ignoring the loud noise as she throws her bag from her shoulder and walks up the stairs. The energy drains from her body the second her toes touch the first step.

Ruby takes a long time to make it up the stairs. Her legs don't want to move, her feet weigh about a hundred pounds more than usual. She feels the weight in the fibres of her being, draining the energy from her body. Being around Pyrrha and Nora had allowed her to ignore this heaviness, but when she was alone, there was no one to keep her mind off of the depression. She feels useless. No matter how much she's looked, no matter how she's pushed her body to stay up at night and keep looking, there was no Yang to show for it.

Her older sister, who always protected her, is gone. Everything in Ruby aches to have her back. Without Yang, there was little warmth, there was seldom any reprieve from the dark emotions that rush forward to engulf her. Only Yang would be able to break through to her, but she was gone – because Ruby couldn't do more. Because, even for all that intelligence, Ruby is still an incompetent, little girl. Yang could – _would_ do better.

Finding her bed, Ruby falls into the sheets. She doesn't bother to close the room to her door, doesn't bother to take her clothes off. She smells of sweat and grass. Silver eyes gaze into the wine red linen of her sheets, her face pressing into a dark pillow. Guiltily, Ruby realizes her body is sinking into the bed with exhaustion, a small part of her cherishing the rest.

 _I'm a terrible sister._

The only sound in the house is the steady, consistent ticking of the clock in the upstairs hallway. Ruby finds herself listening, counting the minutes as the seconds pass. What was Yang doing right now? Was her kidnapper feeding her, giving her water? Did she have a bed, wherever she was? How long did it take for someone to die from starvation or dehydration? Or was she already…

Ruby's eyes sting as tears swell and cascade down across her nose.

 _Yang._

Vibration from her left pocket interrupts her thoughts. She plucks out her phone instantly, putting the screen in front of her face. Hope sparks in her chest at the idea that maybe there was some news, some sort of clue. _Dad?_

When she turns the screen on, the name the scrawls across is "WEISS SCHNEE".

Her heart breaks. Swallowing back the frog in her throat, she swipes her thumb towards the call acceptance side and puts the phone against the non-pillowed side of her face.

"Hey Weiss," she says, trying to make her voice sound happier. The heiress has called every day for the past three days at least twice to check up on her, to see how things were going.

 _"Hey Ruby,"_ Weiss's voice buzzes back. Her soft, soprano tone laces with concern. _"How did your search go today? Did you find anything?"_

The tears make a strong return. Sniffling, Ruby's voice cracks when she whispers, "No. Not yet."

On the other side of the line, Weiss breathes a deep sigh. There's a rustling, like she's pulling the phone away from her face for a moment, before she replies, _"I'm sure you will, Ruby. Don't give up, okay? She's out there."_

Ruby lifts herself off the bed, curling her legs beneath her. Weiss' voice awakens something deep inside of her, and she clings to that tiny glimmer of happiness. She cradles the phone with two hands against her face, tearing her mind from reality for a second to ask, "How was your day?"

 _Maybe you'll be able to tell me something good._

 _"It was…eventful,"_ Weiss answers, her tone suddenly flat. _"I had a date with Neptune tonight. I just got home."_

 _And you called me right after,_ Ruby thinks, finding the idea that the heiress cared so much about her well-being comforting. Weiss is a good friend, despite their differences. She clashes with Ruby but, in the headbutting, there was a subtle synchronization – where either girl knew when not to push and when not to pull. Ruby feels lucky to have her.

"How was it?"

 _"Not…unpleasant,"_ is the heiress' dubious reply. Getting information out of Weiss about her love life has always been like pulling teeth, so Ruby's a little surprised when she continues, _"He's a gentleman, even if he can be a little uncouth. We had dinner, went to the theatre to watch that Spruce Willis movie, and then he walked me home."_

Ruby nods. "Aaand?"

 _"And…"_ Weiss trails off, unsure. The silence is deafening and kills Ruby. Taking a breath, her friend whispers, _"And we kissed."_

Ruby's spirits fall. The news makes her heart clench painfully in her chest, as though she's just been punched in the sternum. Breath billows out from her lips as the news washes over her. Her best friend went on a date with one of the hottest boys at school, and it went well. Her gut flutters as a twinge of annoyance stirs. Closing her eyes, she forcefully closes the door on those feelings, confused at their existence in the first place.

"That's nice," she grinds out, hoping her voice doesn't betray her feelings.

 _Guess I'm a terrible friend, too._

 _"We agreed to go out again next week,"_ Weiss admits, her voice a little bit more energetic now.

Ruby can't suppress her irritation this time. She makes a soft, irked groan that she knows Weiss definitely heard. Face going dark, she says quickly, "Sorry Weiss, I have to go. I'm glad you had a good time."

And she hangs up the phone before the heiress can say another word.

Collapsing back into her bed, Ruby curls up into a ball. She clutches her legs tight against her chest, making herself as small as possible in the corner of her mattress. As the clock ticks in the background, she can think only of how she wishes Yang was home. That her big sister would be able to help her think things through.

YANG

"Yang!"

Head bobbing, Yang lifts her head up from the cement wall. She gives a lazy, half-conscious smile as Blake rushes to her side. The noirette's hands cup her cheeks, cradling her face as she tilts it towards her, amber eyes staring intently into lilac. She's the most beautiful thing Yang's seen in days, the light shining around her dark hair, her eyes bright and lively.

"Hey beautiful," Yang whispers, lips cracking. She blinks up at the girl. "You look worried. Are you worried about me?"

"Yang," Blake whispers, her fingers lightly brushing over her jaw. "I'm so sorry, Yang. I'll get you out of this. I promise."

"I'm okay," she croaks in response, closing her eyes. "I'm okay now that you're here."

"Yang…" Blake lowers her face to the blond's, and their lips touch in a soft, careful kiss. She's warm and damp, and Yang presses up against her with the last bout of strength in her body. She sighs into the kiss, Blake's lips stirring something hopeful in her heart, reminding her that she's still alive. They part after a few seconds, and Yang stares into her amazing golden eyes, warmth rushing to her cheeks when Blake tells her, "I love you."

A hard slap across the face rouses her from her dream. Yang doesn't have the energy to cry out, or protest, her cheek scraping across the cement.

"Stay awake," Adam snarls in her face. He stands in the way of the only light in the room, silhouetting himself so Yang can hardly see him despite the proximity. Still, she can tell it's him – the voice, the clothes, the red hair…

"Anyone ever tell you… there's more to life than… pea coats and slacks?" Yang hums, letting her head bob forward limply. Adam steps away from her, snorting at her words. She continues, "You dress like… an old man."

It's had to be days by now. Five or six, maybe a week? Yang had stopped feeling hunger pangs on the fourth day, she thinks, and he gives her enough water that she knows she'll be alive for a good long time. She'd stopped being afraid a few hours after she'd first woken up in this prison, a facility in the north of Patch that had been there since the Great War. Adam told her it was once a PoW camp for Vacuo soldiers, a place where many faunus were taken to and tortured. The place certainly had the air of death, and sometimes Yang wonders if she's hallucinating or she's seeing ghosts pass through the halls outside her cell.

"Do you ever shut up?" Adam growls, leaning against the wall across from her.

Yang chuckles weakly, her eyes rising up to look at him. Every day was more harrowing than the last; she could hardly talk now without having to pause for breath. "You have… one of those friendly types… of faces."

"Sarcasm is the slowest form of wit," is his response.

"Disagree," Yang breathes, "and isn't it 'lowest'?"

Adam glares at her.

She gives him her best cheeky grin. "The last half…of that quote…is 'but the highest form…of intelligence'."

"So you're a cultured human," the redheaded faunus mutters, staring down the hall. "I'm surprised you'd know anything about Oscar Wilde, being that he is a faunus pre-War playwright."

Yang takes a moment to catch her breath, shifting off of her knees. The joints along her spine and hips pop as she moves onto the side of her thigh, attempting to push herself up off the cold ground. She has bruises all over her, a result of Adam's rough treatment, but no broken bones or cuts. Finding her footing, she manages to saunter to the front of the cell before the shackles he put around her ankles stops her.

Adam stays out of reach, wary of her since the second day they'd been there – when he stepped too close and she managed to slam a solid punch into his chin. He'd lost a tooth then, and his mouth was bleeding for a solid hour before he'd managed to stop it. He watches her, black eyes dull as coal.

"Blake likes him," she says, smiling at the thought of her. She doesn't care that Adam hates when she brings up the noirette. "She helped me get through _'The Importance of Being Earnest'_. She wants to be like him – someone people… look up to that doesn't have to quote other people to look smart."

Adam narrows his eyes at her. "Oh?"

"She's already that smart," Yang whispers, looking up at the ceiling dreamily. "Not that she…believes me. So…humble."

"She's always been that way," Adam growls, and it's the first time he's ever entertained the idea of talking about her. "Always second guessing herself. She never moves forward."

"That's not true."

A little spark ignites in her gut, wanting to hit him for saying something like that about her. She glares at him as she continues, "You don't have…to be aggressive…to move forward. She changes herself…her opinions… Never stops learning. If anyone can change the way…people think, it's her. Everyone values her opinion."

"Like that'll change anything," Adam grunts, looking at her. "She's a faunus. Our words are rarely listened to."

"I…believe in her," Yang whispers, and the strength leaves her then. She drops to her knees, catching herself with her hand so she doesn't fall over completely. "I believe that…she can be the one…to change the world."

Adam snorts, watching her go down. "You can tell her that before you die."

"She won't come," the blond murmurs, rolling into a sitting position. She props her back up on the wall, shaking the shackle on her ankle so that it fits a little more comfortably against the hot, purples bruises on her skin. "She's smart… She'll stay a hundred…miles away from you."

"You doubt her that much?" the faunus asks, chuckling softly. "That's sad. Is it because you're a human, or you think she doesn't love you enough?"

Yang shakes her head. It was neither of these things. Yang had to believe that Blake wouldn't come because it was the only thing that kept her going. Knowing Adam was here, and that Blake – wherever she is – is safe, that's the only thing keeping her running now. She has to imagine that Blake is out of harm's way. That she isn't looking. Yang couldn't handle the guilt of needing to be saved by her, wouldn't stand for Blake placing the blond's safety above her own.

When she doesn't respond, Adam grumbles, "Huh. So you _can_ be quiet."

BLAKE

"What do you mean, you're calling off the search?" Taiyang demands on the phone, the man's face red with rage.

Blake glances up from the counter, chewing her lip furiously. She sits beside Ruby, whose hands are clasp so tightly together that she's made the skin around her fingers furiously red.

It's been nine days since Blake got that call, since Yang was kidnapped. They'd gotten cops involved all across Patch and Vale – the latter of which is on the phone with Taiyang now. With Ruby, she's searched every inch of the city, going to all the abandoned buildings within, including the tannery, which was further away but she thought, just maybe…

"It's been _a week_ since you started, and you're calling the search now? Just like that?" Taiyang yells into the phone. He hears something on the other end that makes him beyond furious, and he throws the phone with all his might into the wall. It shatters against the logs of the wall, its pieces crumbling into a pile on the floor. "Fuck!"

Across the room is Qrow, who scratches at his stubble. He's taking the whole ordeal hard as well, not having touched an ounce of liquor since Blake told them what happened. Sober, he makes no comments or snide remarks, his maroon eyes boring thoughtful, thinly-veiled angry holes into the ground.

All of them had been searching for days. None of them had slept more than a couple hours at a time since Yang was kidnapped, any attempts at rest met with thoughts of the worst. Today is the first day in three days that Qrow's been home, having taken a trip out to Vale to try and look for leads there. Taiyang has scoured every inch of Patch with a road twice over. He's called teachers, tried to bribe people for information, helped the girls put posters all over the island…

"How can they just call off the search?" Taiyang growls, moving to clean up the mess of his phone. He picks up the big pieces with his fingers, ignoring the glass. "That's _my girl_ out there, goddamnit."

Blake looks down. She can't help but blame herself for what's happened, and though she knows Taiyang doesn't blame her, the guilt hits her hard every time he loses his temper. She stands up from the island, announcing, "I'm gunna go look around again."

"I'll come with you," Qrow says, pushing himself off the wall.

Ruby nods numbly, and Taiyang looks up at them. "Thank you."

Qrow shoves his arms through his coat, muttering, "She's my _niece_ , Tai."

Taiyang doesn't respond, his eyes following them as they leave.

Blake's been dressed to go for a while, as this is the second time she's been out searching that day. They decide to search on foot, avoiding the suburbs and going through the rural areas. They walk on the soft shoulders of the roads, passing by corn and wheat fields, looking for anything at all. Neither of them talks, too busy scanning the area around them. Blake doesn't recognize some of the areas they pass by, and that's when she realizes just how large of an island Patch is.

Letting out a breath, Blake scans the horizon. There are farms, grain silos, and dense forests surrounding them. Could she be in an abandoned farm? Maybe some farmer hadn't been able to report something?

She reaches for straws of hope, knowing that none of them would lead her to Yang.

 _Come find us, Blake._

Blake's lips form a hard line. She wants to scream. And cry. And hit something. If she had've just been honest, if she had've just come clean, maybe they could've avoided this. Maybe Yang wouldn't have gotten involved with her.

"You're a faunus."

Qrow's statements shocks her out of her self-deprecating reverie. She pauses in her step, realizing that the man had stopped a few meters back. Looking over her shoulder at him, she meets his maroon gaze. They stare at one another for a long time. Qrow looks tired. There are dark bags beneath his eyes, an uncharacteristic sag in his cheeks and shoulders. His lips pull into a hard frown. His stubble has started to be more reminiscent of a beard these days, a little unruly, a little haggard.

"Yes," Blake answers, her ears twitching so that her bow wiggles.

Blinking slowly, he looks out at the fields with glassy eyes. "And you're the girl I helped out of that hell hole of a group home, where the caregivers were killed. Correct?"

Blake nods again, whispering, "I wondered if you remembered or not."

"You had short hair back then," Qrow mutters, glancing back at her. "You were a tiny thing. Clearly malnourished. And you were beaten. A lot. But you never came clean about who did that to you."

Blake's lips tug down. Her hands clench into fists at her sides.

The dark-gray haired man takes a couple steps towards her, his narrow almond-shaped eyes analyzing her. "It wasn't the caregivers. It was him – that Adam Taurus kid. Some of the other kids at the home talked about him. Told the cops that he was crazier than the caregivers were. Right?"

Sucking in a breath, she nods. Tearing her gaze away, she admits, "Adam murdered the caregivers, because they _were_ cruel. It changed him. They didn't take him away because we were all faunus. Instead, they just put us all into a prison. He…he…"

Qrow holds up his hand, stopping her mid-sentence. "You don't have to go into detail."

Blake closes her eyes, trying to calm the tremors the wrack her body. She suppresses the memories of the murdered animals, the beatings, the assaults. Instead, she tries to focus on something else, and the immediate image that comes to mind is Yang's face. Slowly, her breathing deepens and her tremors seize.

Moving towards her, Qrow puts a hand on her shoulder. He waits for her to look up at him to say, "Adam was released from the institution he was put in. He's a faunus, just like you are. And you know him better than anyone else on Patch. Tell me, _please_ , where in the world would he go to lure you away?"

He was begging her.

His voice holds the desperation of someone at the end of their rope.

There's something raw and emotional in his maroon eyes, something that's not quite thinking clearly, and Blake suddenly realizes just how hard these past few days had been on him. Qrow is Yang's uncle, true, but when the girls needed a father – he'd been there to support the family in a heartbeat. Not only that, but Blake was well aware that Yang's mother was his sister, and in the past two years she'd heard not one word about the woman. Yang may well have been Qrow's last link to his sister, his last blood-related family alive.

Qrow's eyes linger on hers as she thinks. She forces herself to relive painful memories, furrowing her brow as she tries to recall events that she's spent a long time trying to forget.

"Adam was a psychopath," Blake starts, needing to speak aloud to keep her thoughts on track. Qrow's eyes light up with hope as she continues, "He used to kill the animals in the field by the prison and when we found out about we got really afraid. He said he'd hurt any of us that told the guards, so we didn't. Eventually, we were allowed to leave for a couple hours of the day. I'd…go with him. He said he loved me. He liked to learn about faunus history because it had a lot to do with his family. His great-great-grandparents fought in the War. They were based in Menagerie. They got caught and put into a work camp until the end of the War. He used to talk a lot about the war crimes the humans committed…"

She trails off, furrowing her eyebrows as a conversation comes to mind.

 _"Don't you think you're being a little unfair?" Blake asks, watching Adam pace to and fro across a map. "The humans were terrible, you're right, and things aren't okay right now, but faunus also killed and took prisoners of war to torture humans. Neither side is innocent."_

 _"They killed more than us!" Adam snaps, wheeling around to glare at her. He holds his hand up, pointing harshly towards the map. "There were dozens of PoW camps all across the globe just to kill and enslave faunus. Together, they killed upwards of eighteen_ million _of our kind. The worst was Vale. They had six really big camps."_

 _He points out six locations, areas four along the coast of the mainland, one on Vytal Island, and the last…_

"There's an old prisoner of war camp here," Blake states, looking up at Qrow. "He would've taken her there, if it's still standing. Where is it?"

Lips pulling into a small, hopeful smile, he says, "I don't know. But I know someone who might have an idea. Hold on, I have to call Ruby."

* * *

A/N: Hello!

Applesauce: Glad you're enjoying the story! I'm updating as fast as I can!

Slen D. Man: Your name made me chuckle. Thanks for the review! I hope I can keep you interested!

I know I told you guys about another fic I was planning, but I was wondering if you'd also be interested in a friendship fic exploring a potato I had about Summer and Raven's background? It will not focus on romance. Let me know your thoughts!


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

RUBY

Forehead resting against cool glass, Ruby's dull silver eyes flick to and fro as they drive past trees and buildings. Her eyes are half-lidded, too exhausted to put any real effort into her facial expressions. By the time she got the call from Qrow and they got into the car, it was overcast, dark out. There's thunder in the distance, a few flashes of lightning as darker and darker clouds begin to role in from the ocean. The occasional lightning crack across the sky lights the world up with blinding yellow, burning an afterimage into her eyes even if she closes them. Ruby lets out a breath, fogging the glass in front of her face.

To her side, her father begins to take notice of her. He reaches over and touches her wrist. His large, rugged hand encircles her at the small of her limb, warm and gentle. She looks towards him, realizing he's got his knowing fatherly frown on, his eyes crinkling at the corners as thoughts swirl through his mind.

"We're going to find her, Ruby," he tells her once he decides on something, his thumb pressing into her pulse point. Lightning shoots across the sky, carving a path for itself over the horizon to strike something far off, and Ruby can't help but feel like nature was trying to disagree with him. Despite that, Taiyang murmurs, "And she's going to be okay."

Lifting her head away from the glass, she stares forward at the road. They slow to a stop in front of a red light, a smaller car idling in front of them. Taking a breath, she asks, "How do you know?"

"Because she's your big sister," Taiyang breathes, squeezing her wrist tightly. There's conviction, honest belief, in his dark blue eyes. "And my sunny little dragon."

Ruby glances up towards him once more. She can't find the energy to put on a hopeful face for her father, thinking of the past years. She remembers how her father had been so destroyed when her mother died, reliving every day it took for him to finally come back to his senses. Ruby knew her father loved her, but he relied on Yang heavily the past few years – allowing the blond to raise Ruby, to bring money into the home, to essentially be an adult too early.

If he loses Yang, too, how will he possibly come back from that?

Numbly, Ruby looks down at her lap.

"And you're my thorny little rose," Taiyang adds, surprising her. Lips setting into a frown, she furrows her brow as he continues, "You're both such strong, courageous girls. No father could've hoped for better kids than you two, and I have faith that no matter what trouble you get up to, you'll get through it - better than you were."

Ruby presses her lips together, her eyes watering. She sniffs, and he holds her hand as they drive up to Junior's garage, parking behind the man's car. Before they get out, Taiyang leans over the center console and wraps his arms around her. Ruby almost comes undone, her shoulders trembling as she tries her very best to keep the sobs from breaking through her lips. Her father presses a kiss to the top of her head, whispering, "I love you, Rubes. Don't worry, okay? We're not losing anyone ever again."

Just like that, her tears pour out across her cheeks and she presses her face into his shoulder. She nods into his brown cotton shirt, sobs wracking through her. Cracks form in the hard, Ruby-made shell around her heart – the one that she'd been using to try to keep herself from breaking down. Even with her father there, it feels like they'll overwhelm her, and she tries to control herself. Her shoulders tremble despite her efforts, her heart aching from Yang, from her Mom, from years of suppressing and suppressing so no one would worry, or see.

Taiyang's voice is a soft hum in her ear, "Shh, baby, it'll be okay."

It takes some time, but her tears eventually run out. Her body feels more exhausted than before; a headache pounds ruthlessly against the walls of her skull. Her eyes ache – she feels puffy. Her nose runs despite any and all attempts to sniff back the tears. She moves to wipe at her face, but Taiyang beats her to it, using his sleeve to brush the gross away from her skin. The action is oddly soothing, and reminds her of all the times she's cried on Yang's shoulder.

Looking into her eyes, her father gently inquires, "Okay?"

She takes in a deep breath. The quivering, squishy, sad thing inside of her finds some stability in her father's comfort. For the first time in days, she feels as though there's something hard underneath her feet, something supportive. With a nod, she replies, "Okay."

"Now let's go get her." With a smile, Taiyang opens the door, and she follows suit, walking out into the chilly darkness outside.

As Ruby rounds the SUV, she realizes Junior's standing in the garage door, sliding it up as they approach. He doesn't look surprised as they approach, Ruby falling into step behind her father.

"You've got some nerve coming here."

Pausing in her step, Ruby looks up at her father who strides purposefully forward still. The blond man walks into the lot of the Garage fearlessly, his eyes fixed on Junior. The dark-haired man claps his hands free of dust as the door slides itself further up, leaning against the car just inside to watch them. Ruby can see the anger in both the men's eyes.

It was only twenty minutes ago that Ruby answered the call from Qrow. Now that she's managed to let herself feel sad, it feels like an impossible stroke of luck - they'd found a miracle in Blake's memories. For the first time in days, there really was some hope of finding Yang, some idea of where the blond is in the world.

Junior's gaze fixes on her, and begins to soften in the same instant. The man had been close to both the sisters for years and he knew it when they were upset. His dark eyes skim her face, noticing the tear streaks across her cheeks, the crimson splotches on her cheeks, the glassiness in her irises. He furrows his brow, the anger draining from his features.

"What is it?" Junior asks, looking towards Taiyang. "What happened?"

"You haven't seen the posters?" Taiyang questions, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

The dark-haired man shakes his head. "I just got back home from Vale after a series of court cases a couple days ago. Been home, haven't gone out. Except today."

"Yang's been kidnapped."

Junior stares at him blankly for a few moments. It's like the news doesn't quite reach his brain, like he's only hearing something topically. His dark eyes search Taiyang's, and then Ruby's. Their seriousness irks him visibly, and after a moment he snorts and smiles, like he's not sure what else to do. "That's funny. Yang kidnapped? She'd never let that happen."

 _At least it's not just me,_ Ruby thinks to herself, scratching at her neck. At first, she'd hardly been able to believe the news herself. Yang is unstoppable. Invincible.

"It happened," Taiyang replies darkly, looking away. "By the kid who Russet James was working for. The kid that stalked Blake two years ago."

Junior's face twists. He stares down at his feet. There's recognition in his expression, and though he pauses, Ruby can tell he has no intention of lying to them. He lets out a breath, shaking his head and muttering, "Jesus. This is my fault. If I hadn't cut a deal with them, she'd never have been put in harm's way…"

"We can talk about that later," Taiyang comments, furrowing his brow. To Ruby's surprise, her father reaches out to the man, putting his hand on the side of his neck. His blue eyes are intense as he says, "Junior, you once said to me that a person is defined by pivotal moments in their life. You told me that when a man could act in a time of great need, it said more about him than anything else in his life. My girl needs you, Junior. I do."

"I know what I said," Junior sighs, smacking his hand away. "Russet James is the man you need to talk to. He knows all of Adam's plans. He hides out in my club when he's not working. If you can pull some strings for him in the precinct, he'll tell you everything you need to know."

Taiyang narrows his eyes. "What does he want?"

"Protection," Junior answers lowly. "He was just a kid when Adam started messing with his life."

Ruby frowns, furrowing her eyebrows at that. After all this time hearing the name Russet James passed around in her house, it's hard to think of him as the victim in the commotion. She wonders what it takes, to make a person fear you so much that you can use them. Is that the case, with this Russet James?

YANG

"Stop moping," Adam growls before a hard kick jars the blond from her reverie. Instinctively, Yang lashes out, grabbing his foot before he can pull it back. Her eyes snap open as Adam plummets to the ground, and she can't stop it when she pounces on top of him. The shackle around her ankle yanks her back, but Yang still slams a hard strike to his face before he can get up again. He kicks her in the face, sending her reeling back, off of him. The force pushes her back into the far wall of the prison, her head knocking against the cement and reminding her of the ferocious migraine she'd been trying to nap off.

Her eyes pound as she glares at him, her face contorting as she tries to see past the auras and blinding candlelight. Thick, warm blood oozes down the side of her face from a new cut on her forehead, trickling over the crest of her eyebrow and dripping into her eyelashes. She hasn't got the energy to go after him again, though she can see that he's hit his head off the ground with the way he struggles to find footing.

Something predatory in her seethes, urging her to grab him, to punish him. She suppresses it, her teeth grinding with the effort of doing so. He's right there. Fumbling around on the ground. She can do it. She wants to.

Yang inhales slowly, the air cold over her teeth.

Instead, she focusses her energy on silently hating him – and does she ever. Yang's fingers clench at her sides, trembling with barely contained murderous intent.

Over the past…Yang doesn't even know how long she's been in this prison anymore. Nonetheless, every waking minute is spent with Adam, who makes it his job to insult, humiliate, and beat her. Additionally, he's taken to a new type of torture – having his lackey, this Russet James, bring down cases of water for him to drink in front of her. She can handle the hunger, but it's the thirst that'll kill her.

"You're lucky I don't kill you!" the faunus snarls, slipping out of her reach and pushing himself up to his face.

"Same," Yang hoarsely replies, and he stares at her for a moment. She meets his gaze, narrowing her eyes at him.

Adam knows he'd just been at her mercy. He stands at the door to the prison, his fingers tightening into fists at his sides. Yang's fingers move along the wall, the course cement rough on the pads of her fingertips, before she finds a small dip in the wall to help push herself up. At first, her knees tremble under her weight, but she manages to stand nonetheless.

Grunting softly, he turns away, going back to his chair outside of her prison.

Snorting, Yang mutters, "Coward."

He ignores her, but she sees a twitch in his lip – a tic of his when he's annoyed. Fishing out his phone from his pocket, he occupies himself with typing away.

Sighing, the blond looks around the prison. One thing she's missed the most is showering. She feels grimy and disgusting, like there's a thin layer of dirt over her skin at all times. Her hair is greasy, and tangled in an unpleasant way.

"Relax," the faunus orders, not bothering to look up from his phone. "You're being stressful."

"Like you're one to talk," Yang grumbles. "Let me shower."

"No."

"It can't possibly be nice to smell me at all hours of the day."

"You're right."

"You could fix that by letting me shower."

"You're right."

Adam continues to play with his phone, and Yang growls, "I forgot – psychopaths can't reason. Nevermind."

His reaction surprises her. His hand slams against the bars of the prison, and the bang echoes through the hallways. He glares fiercely at her, hissing, "I. Am. No. Psychopath."

Yang's eyebrows rise. "Well, actually…"

"I'm not!" the faunus shouts, kicking his chair over with the force of his standing. Yang watches as he rounds towards the prison again, bracing herself. But he stops just before he's in reach, his better sense getting a hold of him once more, like he remembers the position he'd just been in moments before. They stare one another down.

An idea comes to Yang's mind. She watches as, reluctantly, he sets his chair back up to sit in. There's a lot of anger in him, and with his control waning, she can exploit that.

She grins.

"They say people don't know if they go crazy," Yang drawls, watching his shoulders stiffen with fury. "I wonder if it's the same for faunus?"

Turning his head, Adam seethes. "You better keep your mouth shut if you want to live."

The threat doesn't scare her.

"I think I heard somewhere that faunus have a predisposition to violent behaviour," Yang continues, trying to keep her tone dry and serious. When he looks at her, she shrugs nonchalantly, remarking, "You know, _animalistic tendencies._ "

Adam explodes from the doorway. She doesn't have the opportunity to block, throwing a lame punch out that crumples against his shoulder as he thrusts her into the wall. His hand is around her throat in an instant, and she manages to close her eyes just in time as his fist cracks across her cheek. She feels something crunch beneath his knuckles, pain so intense that it takes her breath away. He doesn't stop at one, his fist slamming into her face over and over - each punch harder than the last. Her legs lose their strength as her consciousness steps closer and closer to being lost. His fingers tighten over her throat to keep her head stable, crushing her airway.

The world swirls around her. For a few seconds, everything falls away.

And then she comes back to, just in time to catch herself from face planting into the ground. Adam stalks away from her as she grasps for her last strands of consciousness, wheezing and coughing as she struggles to breathe again.

Yang allows herself to drop onto the floor, curling into a ball as oxygen finally makes its way back into her lungs. She gulps for air hungrily, like a fish out of water.

"Perhaps next time, you'll give some thought," Adam snarls, plopping down in his chair once more. "What idiot taunts their captors?"

Opening her eyes, Yang wipes at the blood on her face. Her nose is bleeding now, and she's absolutely sure that her cheekbone's broken. There's hot, intense pain all across the left side of her face, one of her eyes starting to swell shut.

"Yeah," she breathes, tasting blood in her mouth. Her face aches in protest when she speaks. "Not one of my brightest moments."

BLAKE

"Is this what it was like when you brought Yang out for your investigations?"

Blake and Qrow walk around Junior's club, skirting along the building towards the back. The greying man glances up thoughtfully, scratching at his stubble. They find the back door quickly enough and stand outside it for a moment, Qrow fingering in his pocket for something with his other hand. When he draws out tiny leather case and opens it to reveal a full set of lockpicks, Blake's eyebrows rise in question.

"It wasn't always like this," Qrow defends, picking out a lockpick with several bumps and grooves and one that kind of looks like a flat wrench. He sticks them both inside, wracking one along the top as he uses his other hand to push down on the other. His brow dimples in concentration. "I mean, sometimes she'd just walk in the front door. Perks of not everyone in town knowing you're an investigator."

"She isn't an investigator," the faunus points out, putting her hand on her hip. "She could've been charged."

The man shrugs a little, murmuring, "She may as well be an investigator. Lots of idiot PIs and detectives out there without a clue of how to put two and two together. Yang's a natural."

Blake frowns. "Not sure how I feel about that."

Qrow smirks, and the door opens. He swings it open, holding the door with his foot as he stuffs his tools back into the little black case. Sliding the case back into his trench coat, he nods towards the doorway for her to go in. Blake walks inside, and he follows her in.

"You're gunna have to get used to her curiosity," Qrow softly tells her as they walk into a hallway lined with big industrial wracks stacked with cases of cleaning supplies. Right in front of the door is a mop bucket with the mop still inside, filled halfway with murky blue-white liquid. He shimmies in front of her quietly, and she mimics him, avoiding touching the bucket. "Ever since she was old enough to understand Summer wasn't her real mom, she's had this need to know that's gotten her in a lot of trouble."

"Oh?" Blake whispers back, glancing at the jugs of cleaning fluids on the cases. There was a disproportionate amount of multipurpose cleaner to everything else. "She told me she didn't really care."

They reach another closed door, and Qrow tests it with a quiet jiggle. When the doorknob won't turn, he dips back into his pocket for his lockpicks again.

"It's a push button lock," Blake tells him, grabbing his tension wrench before he can set about trying to unlock it. She slips the handle end into the lock, popping it open for them. "On the wrong side, though."

"No kidding," Qrow mutters, tapping the door open with the pads of his fingertips. The next room is a storage room with a whole bunch of equipment. It's dark, and has some extra booths, chairs and a scary amount of fireman's poles. Blake tries to suppress a soft snicker when she sees them. Qrow, rolling his eyes, continues, "Anyway, Yang might've said that because she loved Summer like a mom. But that doesn't mean there isn't a part of her that wants to know who her real mother is, even if she's not ready to meet her. That's just human nature."

"Her real mom is your sister, correct?" Blake asks, moving behind him as he stalks into the storage area. They start looking for the spot Junior told them about, a small hatch to an attic hallway that leads to a little catwalk and a room over the dancefloor.

Qrow glances back at her. There's a somber look in his maroon eyes. "Yeah. Name's Raven. Runs a gang in Anima, outside of Mistral."

The curtness of his tone makes her ask, "You're not close."

"Let's just say she's not exactly mom material," Qrow replies darkly, a hint of finality in his tone.

He finds a dip in the wall that leads to another hall about as wide as his shoulders, and they walk down it slowly. At the end, there's a hollow creak beneath Qrow's footstep. They share a look before Blake steps away, giving Qrow some space to bend and lift up a hatch they hadn't seen. Like before, he takes the lead, slipping his feet into the hatch before dropping himself down. She does the same when he says he's clear, falling softly down beside him.

"Now where are we?" the investigator wonders out loud.

The lights turn on, and Blake's eyes adjust instantly, but Qrow flinches and hides behind his hand.

"Ow," the man growls.

"Sorry," another voice replies, and Blake turns to see a hulking man standing in the corner. He wears a tank top, showing off ripped muscles with lines of intricate, curvy tattoos on his biceps. His hair is buzzed short, but the rest of him is thick – he's built densely and broadly. His dark eyes linger on them for a moment, and there's a softness in his expression that implies he means no harm. He talks with a thick accent she can't place, "I sometimes forget that human eyes are sensitive."

"You Russet James?" Qrow asks, lowering his hand. He continues to squint, his eyes glassy with the sting of the light. "You're bigger up close. Jeez."

Russet's lip twitches. "Bear faunus."

"No kidding," the investigator shoots back.

Blake is kind of amazed at the normalcy of the conversation. Spending the last two years within the Xiao Long house had let her see a more fatherly side of Qrow, sometimes she forgot that he was actually quite charismatic.

Russet is what Blake likes to call a discrete faunus. Sometimes, faunus didn't show any animal traits if they didn't want to – not having ears or a tail to distinguish them. Russet had his size, and quite possibly some added strength, but a human could easily misidentify him. Their noses weren't as good as a faunus' nose, unable to pick up the distinct scent of faunus hormones.

"What're you doing here?" Russet asks, his gaze falling to Blake's. They analyze one another, his eyes skimming over her figure before pausing at her bow. He grunts knowingly, murmuring, "Oh, I remember you. Both of you. From Mistral. You're Blake Belladonna, right?"

Blake blinks, her eyebrows rising. "Yeah."

"Adam's been obsessed with you since you were taken away," the faunus man says, crossing his arms over his chest. He leans back against the wall. "Not a good place to be."

"From what I hear, you're not in a good place, either," Qrow comments, earning back Russet's attention. "How long have you been Adam's lackey?"

Russet's eyes become hard, cold pieces of coal that stare daggers into the investigator. His lips set into a hard frown, the muscles of his neck popping as his jaw tenses. Blake thinks he's not going to answer, but the man answers, "Since you busted that group home. We joined the White Fang and he had connections already so he ranked up quick."

Blake frowns. She remembers the White Fang, how Adam had tricked her into believing the group was peaceful in nature to get her to run errands for them. Images of bruised, bloodied humans come to her mind, churning her stomach. She growls in disgust, fixing her gaze on the ground.

"Ah. So he's still part of the White Fang then? You, too?"

"I am because of him," Russet explains, scratching at his arm self-consciously. "You don't say no to Adam. He started attacking anyone who stepped out of line."

"Attacking?"

There was a pause before Russet pushes himself off the wall, rolling up the hem of his tank top to reveal the end of a scar across his abdomen. As he lifts the fabric, she sees it climb further and further up his torso, across his chest. It's an old scar, well-faded, but long and jagged. It puffs out as though Russet had never been able to get it properly taken care of, and she can see tiny streaks of red criss-crossing within the scar tissue.

"Other kids had it worse," the man mutters, dropping his shirt.

"Look," Qrow breathes, furrowing his brow. "I have a few friends with the local precinct. I can offer you protection, if you tell us where that son of a bitch is hiding my niece."

"The human girl," Russet murmurs, "She's at an abandoned PoW work camp. It's away from the towns, past the forest. You have to drive through a little path in the forest. Or take a boat. It's at the north-eastern tip of the island."

"How come no one's heard of this place?"

"Humans don't like to acknowledge their lengthy history of systemic racism towards faunus."

Qrow pauses at that response, not expecting such a quick rebuttal. He glances towards Blake, who shrugs and says, "He's not wrong."

"Now that I told you, will you hold up your end of the bargain?" Russet asks, his eyes flicking between them. He's nervous, clearly expecting them to go back on their word.

"Yeah," Qrow reassures, "You shouldn't stay here. Go to the precinct. Have a phone?"

Russet draws a phone from his pocket and tosses it to Qrow, who catches it, turns it on and adds a couple of contact numbers. When the investigator tosses it back, he says, "One of those numbers is to Yang's father. He's an old cop, and he'll help you. His other daughter will answer the phone, just ask to speak with him."

Tension seeps out from the faunus' features. His eyes go glassy, and he sinks back. He relaxes against the wall, his shoulders dropping as he murmurs, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Qrow nods and they move to leave.

As Blake passes, Russet reaches out to grab her wrist. Sharply looking at him, there's a warning in his dark eyes.

"He did all this to get to you," the man warns her, his brow furrowing. "But he'll kill her if you're not quick. He doesn't care about cops or negotiation. He'll kill her without a second thought."

Blake freezes as his message sinks in. She's known that Yang was in real danger, though there was a part of her that had been betting on Adam's more sadistic side for time. Swallowing, she dips her head, her other hand clenching into a fist.

"It won't happen."


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

BLAKE

The storm rolls over Patch by the time Qrow and Blake find their way to the camp. They drive quietly, Qrow didn't even have his foot on the gas, letting Russet's rental pull them through the crappy rock and gravel road. The camp is hidden away by a veil of thick, dense forests. The road was practically covered in grass and vines, which had made for a particularly bumpy ride. But they're there now, at the foot of a camp surrounded by barbed-wire fence.

Blake's ears flatten against her head at the look of the place. There were buildings made of grey bricks with practically every window shattered. The largest building was the only one with a roof, though it was caving in precariously. Between the darkness, the rain pounding against the car, and the thunder rolling in the distance, Blake's nerves were on fire. In the air was a smell, like burnt hair and the sharp smell of pain, as though so many people had suffered here that the earth itself was scarred.

"Can't see anything through this rain," Qrow utters, squinting in the darkness. "Guess we're gunna have to wait for Tai and the cops."

 _He'll kill her if you're not quick._

Blake can see perfectly. She sees the glint of the metal barbs woven into the fence, which building had a car parked outside of it, where the fence was cut to make for safe entrance. Amber eyes scan every door way, every window, of the building with the car. She thinks she sees his shadow several times in windows – her heart feels like it's going the break her sternum. The tips of her ears heat up as blood rushes noisily through them.

 _Stop it._

Blake's throat goes dry. She swallows once, twice. Trembling against her thighs alerts her to her hands shaking, and begins to wring her fingers instead. There's burning in certain areas on her body, where she remembers being struck, a throb in her gut that seethes nausea through her body. And then her mouth is moist again.

 _Yang wouldn't be afraid._

Yang. The blond wouldn't be afraid. She never was, not for anything. She is daring, confident to a fault. Maybe even arrogant. And she was ferociously protective, even if it meant her own demise. Keeping the people she loves safe is the only thing that really matters to the woman, the only thing she could never give up. Warmth seeps through her body. Her best memories of Yang, her smile, her kiss, breathes courage into her heart. For the moment, it calms that fearful, quaking little girl inside of her. Even under this much pressure, even given the circumstances, she can do this.

She can save Yang.

It would take too long for Qrow to find the opening in the fence. It was small, and without lights, he'd be searching for a few minutes at best. She couldn't wait for him.

Before she can think twice, she's out the door.

"Blake! Wait!"

She ignores Qrow.

The rain soaks through her ribbon, touching the fur of her ears, dripping through her thick dark hair. Her clothes don't stand up against the onslaught, sticking to her skin as she runs across the muddy grass and gravel. Her breath comes in soft gasps, but her body adjusts faithfully to the pace. She ducks beneath the gnarly metal wiring of the fence in a fluid motion.

There's an image in the back of her head.

An image of her, lying beneath the willow tree. Her black hair is strewn across the grass, her ribbon bundled and crumpled in her fingers, her eyes closed as she sleeps beneath the dancing leaves and the flickering sunlight by the river. Her chest rise and falls with patient serenity, unrushed, confident.

And there was Yang, approaching her from the pathway, tossing her bag haphazardly to the tree. She plops down beside Blake, never once asking for permission or forgiveness, and Blake unconsciously makes room for her in the patch of flattened grass.

 _'I was wondering what you were going to do.'_

Except this time, it's Yang who says those words. She touches the ribbon.

And Blake realizes that she wants nothing more in the entire world than for that image to be reality. Her stomach flutters and flips at the idea.

 _I want Yang._

This thing between them wasn't something she'd ever be able to move on from.

This acceptance, this holistic, once-in-a-lifetime love. This feeling of wind beneath her steps, of purpose, of freedom. This lightness of her heart, the thrum of its beat, as finally she believes.

This could be real.

And Blake would fight with everything she had to protect that.

No more excuses, no more hiding.

Holding on to the past had done nothing but keep her from being the entire person she could be. Letting her fear of Adam, of humans, control her had done nothing but stall the inevitable. Yang was forever, a force of love and support that would thrust her up higher and higher, that would teach her to fly on her own. When she's around, Blake hasn't got anything to be afraid of. Together, they were extraordinary. Unstoppable.

So rushing in was natural.

Everything in her body sings to save Yang. The fibers of her being demand it.

Blake sprints past the car, and through a doorway without a door. She skids to a halt as soon as she's inside – Adam's just down the hall, in what looks like the main foyer of the building, his hand clawing cruelly at both of Yang's hands behind her back. Blake's eyes go to her immediately.

Yang is covered in bruises, her clothes torn from the abuse. There's blood all down the front of her shirt, which is missing two buttons. There are dark bags beneath her puffy eyes, one more swollen than the other. She has a cut just over her eyebrow, and blood caked over the side of her face. Her skin is dull and her hair is greasy, tangled. Lifting her head, Yang's eyes raise and she sees Blake despite the darkness. She looks straight at her, and Blake nearly weeps with relief when there's still life in those lilac eyes.

"Why did you come?" Yang gasps, her face twisting from neutrality to panic. " _Run!_ Get _out_ of here, Blake!"

Her outcry is met with a cruel knee the face, and the blond collapses to her knees.

"Don't touch her!" Blake screams, taking a few steps forward.

"You hurt me, Blake," Adam roars, and his tone warns her. She stops in her steps, trembling as her heart races. Adrenaline flows through her body. "We could have lead the White Fang together as a force of revolution. But you decided to come out here, play house with a couple of _humans._ "

Adam thrusts Yang forward, into the floor. She slams down, her face making a sickening slap against the tile.

"Stop!" Blake yells, her fists clenching. She takes another step forward.

"I'll make it my mission to destroy _everything_ you love," he growls, drawing a knife from his coat pocket.

Blake explodes forward, slamming into him with all of her might. They tumble over onto the ground, with Blake on top, his head striking the tile roughly. An image of Yang fighting her father pops into her head, and she mimics it in the split seconds that follow, her hand collapsing down against Adam's face. Pain shoots up through her knuckles as they connect with cheekbone, her wrist crumpling beneath her own force as she cries out.

Adam's hands strike out at her, grabbing her by her arms. Her stomach flips when she's suddenly weightless, and the ground strikes her back a moment later. He climbs over her, his knee digging into her stomach to pin her down.

She gets a look of his face – Adam's expression had not always been so murderous. She remembers the sweet, charismatic boy that had wanted to be a hero for the faunus. Now, Adam's face has lost the baby fat. He looks cut and rigid, his features angular and sharp. His lips contort in a sneer as he raises his knife above her. Loathing ignites his eyes.

As his hand begins to fall, Yang appears into view. The blond grabs his arm and hooks it over her shoulder, leveraging him with her body and throwing him off of her. His weight disappears with a cry of effort above her, and Blake sucks in a breath as she scrambles back up.

Yang descends on Adam in an instant, dropping into a stance with her feet planting into the floor. She swings slowly and misses, Adam dancing just out of reach with a delicate extension and twist of his arm.

"Ugh!"

The knife plunges into the girl's gut, and she staggers across the floor with her momentum.

 _"Yang!"_

Lunging forward, Blake practically flies at the redhead. She grabs his horn with her injured hand and attempts to punch him in the nose – and this time, the impact doesn't destroy her knuckle. His nose crunches underneath the contact and blood spurts from his nostrils almost instantly. Dazed, he slaps her hand away and stumbles backwards. He yells something incomprehensible and his other hand comes up to wipe the blood away, glaring ferociously at her.

Out of the peripherals of their vision comes Yang, announced with the clinks of a knife skipping across the floor. Adam's focus instantly snaps to her, and she throws a punch that he dodges, the fist sailing by his neck. She tricks him, grabbing the collar of his pea coat as her hand flies by. Her other fist moves too fast for Blake's eye to see properly, a succession of several punches slamming into Adam's face mercilessly. He knees her in the groin, pushing her back a few feet with the force of his strike. Still, she refuses to let go, and they drag each other down to the ground.

It's then that Blake notices the blood leaking down Yang's front, a thick river that runs from her abdomen down to her hip and leg. Red smears across the ground as her and Adam wrestle, punches and kicks flying as they fight for dominance. Yang is the better fighter, but she weighs less than Adam and the strength fades from her movements the longer she struggles. He slams her down into the ground, and she flops back, her knee twisting in between them as she lifts him off of her, throwing him back with her feet.

Adam reels away, stumbling back a few meters. His breaths come in gasps.

Seeing her opportunity, Blake bursts forward.

"Don't!" Yang cries, but it's too late.

Recovering in the blink of an eye, Adam catches her tackle, his fingers clawing roughly into her arms. He spins her around, using her momentum to trip her and send her crashing into the floor. She hears a crack as her head collides with the floor, and her vision blurs, her body going limp as he stands over her. The world spins around her. Two Adams stand over her, kicking her side so she rolls onto her back.

Blake gasps as though she's never breathed before. Her heart flutters as nausea overwhelms her. Her muscles tremble as she tries to push herself up, her body swaying. The world does pirouettes all around her. Bile rises in her throat with a ferocious burn before she vomits, retching awfully and loudly, her body curling in on itself.

In the spinning darkness, red and blue lights flash across cement walls. There's a wailing of sirens that pierces the veil of silence.

Adam curses, stepping away from her.

Blake collapses onto her side, her vision darkening. Sleep nags at her, her exhaustion tempting her to rest, finally, after days and days of being unable to. She can only watch, helpless, as Adam runs away. Yang picks herself up off the ground, her knee slipping in her own blood as she moves towards the noirette, collapsing at her side.

"Blake," she whispers, her hands hovering over the faunus, like she's not sure what to do. "Blake, stay with m…"

Her lips keep moving but Blake can't hear what she's saying. Her trembling hands reach out, and she grasps one of Yang's, trying to squeeze the woman's fingers. Her hands lack strength, quaking weakly against the back of the boxer's hand.

 _She's here._ Blake's heartrate slows. She brings the blond's hand against her chest, clutching it with all her might. _She's here…_

Eyes sliding closed, Blake falls asleep.

RUBY

The hours to follow were hard. Taiyang and Ruby had arrived just after the police, only to leave for the hospital immediately after. Blake, unconscious from a head injury, was ushered to the hospital immediately while Yang was flopped over and worked on, the paramedics desperately attempting to stop the bleeding from her gut. The blond lost consciousness while they worked, leaving the father and sister out to the side, watching, helpless to do anything but put their faith in strangers.

When it was time to go to the hospital, Ruby got to ride in the front and Taiyang stayed with Yang in the back. The driving paramedic chats with her, but she's too far gone in concern to be any sort of conversationalist.

"She'll be okay," the paramedic tried to comfort her, her bright green eyes meeting Ruby's. It's then that the redhead realizes she's a faunus, with two tiny stag-like horns protruding from the top of her forehead. "They both will be. Your sister'll just need a blood transfusion, but she'll make it."

The words should've been reassuring, but Ruby sensed a rehearsal in her tone. It was plainly evident that there were issues other than the stab wound to her sister's stomach. She was riddled with bruises, and potentially worse injuries, all over her body.

Now, Ruby sits in the waiting room. She's alone, her father going off with the paramedics. She stares forward but doesn't really see anything, plucking at the lip of a coffee cup a nurse had kindly given to her an hour ago.

 _Thorny little rose, huh,_ Ruby thinks to herself, her lips quirking up wryly. _I'm not sure if he meant that as a compliment._

Of course, she does know Taiyang only meant the utmost affections towards her. But she didn't feel strong, or courageous. With her sister sitting in intensive care and her close friend unconscious in a room with Qrow, she can't help but feel useless. For once in her life, Ruby wants to be the one that saves others. She wants her family and friends to rely on her, to say that they have faith in her just as much as they do for Yang. She's spent too long in the shadows of her amazing family, and even though she loves them dearly, she longs for fulfillment.

"Ruby?"

The redhead glances up. Her eyebrows arch in wonder when Weiss walks through the doors. It seems surreal, seeing her pristine appearance in a hospital for the sick and injured, her makeup done and her outfit perfect despite the hour. She wears a grey-blue dress that stops just above her knees, a dark grey cardigan draped over her shoulder. Her white hair falls in a ponytail off to the side of her head, her hair neat waves over her back.

Weiss steps up to her and stops awkwardly a foot away.

Ruby watches as Weiss scratches her wrist, shyly looking around until something gives. The platinum-haired girl throws her arms around the younger's shoulders, pulling the redhead up against her chest. Silver eyes widen like saucers at the embrace, her face heating up. Weiss' skin smells like vanilla, the scent warm and homey. Taken aback, Ruby's arms lift of their own accord, encircling the heiress' slim waist.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Weiss whispers, her face burying into Ruby's neck.

"Uh-hum," she dumbly utters, her lips stumbling. She swallows thickly.

"How's your sister? And Blake?" she asks, pulling away a couple of inches. Her brow furrows. "Are you okay? You're red."

Her hands move to rest on Ruby's shoulders, but she's so, so close. Ruby's gaze flicks up to Weiss' blue orbs. Thumping hard in her chest, Ruby's heart accelerates as she notices the little intricacies of Weiss' face. Strands of white and cerulean twist in the irises of her eyes, an intricacy that grows darker towards their end. Her eyelashes are thick, darker than natural with mascara. This close, the heiress didn't seem so angelic, so beyond corporeal forms. This close, Ruby could see the long, faded scar she tries to cover with makeup every day, a thin line that permeates up through her eyelid, brow and cheek.

A crease forms between her elegant, thin white eyebrows. Ruby watches her face shift back to concern right before her eyes, unadulterated worry flitting across her face. This is a different Weiss than before – a Weiss that has no qualms or care for the tsun-tsun act, a Weiss that must've been truly, profoundly concerned.

"Ruby?" she calls, like the redhead is a thousand miles away.

"I-I…," Ruby clears her throat, averting her gaze. She takes one of Weiss' hands, nodding and murmuring, "Sorry, it's been rough for me."

Weiss nods, sitting in the chair next to Ruby's. The redhead doesn't release the heiress' hand, finding soft comfort in touching her cool skin. Much to Ruby's relief, the white-haired girl doesn't seem to mind the touch. Her fingers curl back around the redhead's hand, squeezing lightly.

"It's okay," she reassures.

Ruby sighs, taking a sip of the coffee. It's a little colder than she likes it, and the chill does nothing to hide the overt bitterness of the blend. Her nose wrinkles at the bridge, sneering unconsciously as she swallows the liquid.

Weiss' gaze flicks about the waiting room, shifting into the chair like she's bracing herself for a long wait.

"Thank you for coming," the redhead whispers, putting the cup down by her chair. "Blake fractured her skull, but it was closed and the paramedics said since it was just around her forehead and there was no depression that she's probably going to be fine. But she was unconscious when they took her. Yang… Yang got stabbed, but I don't think that's the worst she got. She lost a lot of blood. I think she had a few broken bones."

Weiss' hand squeezes tightly. "If the paramedics said they'd be okay, I'm sure they will be."

It's then that the tears return, and Ruby croaks, "They didn't say anything about Yang."

After a moment, Weiss replies, "Yang is strong. Have faith in her."

Ruby sniffles, trying her hardest not to cry, and Weiss just keeps holding her hand. She adjusts so that she's sitting closer to the redhead. Ruby can't seem to wipe the tears away fast enough – they come without an end in sight at first. She has to hand it to the heiress, who sits by her faithfully despite Ruby's pathetic state, hands squeezed together all the while. Weiss doesn't even seem to mind when Ruby's head drops against her shoulder, instead dropping her arm a little so the point of her shoulder isn't so sharp against the younger girl's cheek.

It takes a while, but the tears finally end.

Except, Ruby doesn't feel the same emptiness and exhaustion she usually does after crying. She sucks in a deep breath, tasting the scent of Weiss' vanilla perfume against her lips. Having the heiress there with her, silently absorbing all of Ruby's pain, has a revitalizing effect on her. When she looks up, Weiss notices her gaze and returns the attention with a reassuring smile.

They wait in silence for a while, Ruby's head on Weiss' shoulder. Their hands are hot, and both of their palms sweat, but neither one cares. Something about the way that Weiss comforts her is simply different – her silence affecting her more than anyone's words ever had. She'd needed the room to be able to sort through the emotions, the time to be allowed to, and Weiss understood.

It's been about an hour when Taiyang finally returns, his heavy, jogging footsteps preceding him. When he appears down the hall, he runs right up to the entrance into the waiting room. He stops by the wall, his breath deep and fast. Blue eyes meet blue eyes, a fleeting expression of confusion on his face before he simply accepts the presence of Weiss with a little half-shrug.

"Blake's awake," Taiyang gasps, coming towards them. "She's going to be fine. The doctor's going to prescribe her some pain medicine for her fracture, but she's fine."

Raising her head, Ruby beams at the news. Weiss releases her hand as the redhead pushes off from the chair, rushing to her father and throwing her arms around him.

Blake's going to be okay.

It had been an injustice of Ruby earlier for her to consider the black-haired girl anything less than her sister. The relief she feels at the news of her imminent recovery is too strong, and she feels like she's dodged a bullet.

Taiyang hugs her back, murmuring quietly between breathes, "She's…She's got these cute little kitty ears."

"Really?" Ruby hisses back, pulling away with wide eyes. She lowers her voice, asking, "Are they black?"

"Yeah," he replies, straightening. He runs his fingers through his hair, continuing with his news, "Yang's going to be okay, as well. They're gunna have to give her one more unit of blood. One wasn't enough. She has a broken rib. Lots of bruises."

"What about food, hydration?" Ruby asks, brow furrowing.

"She's on an IV for now," Taiyang answers, rubbing the back of his head as he tries to recall what he was told, "Doctor said she should eat broths or soup first, just to be careful. I guess I should find one of your mom's old soup recipes."

"No need," the redhead replies, recalling one recipe she did with her mom. "I still know how to make her turkey noodle."

Taiyang smiles. "Lifesaver. I'm gunna go back. It's just up the hall, into the ward in room thirteen."

Before he turns to go, he glances around Ruby and waves at Weiss. The girl waves back. Glancing down at his daughter, Taiyang winks in a very Yang-like fashion before walking away. Ruby flushes scarlet, her back going stiff at the implications.

 _Only ever seen Dad do that to Yang when she's brought girls home._

 _Oh, God, does he think…_

Before she can freak out, a hand touches her shoulder. Whipping her head around, she nearly jumps out of her wits when Weiss is standing directly behind her. The heiress gives her an odd look at her reaction, but doesn't press on it, instead saying, "I'm glad that they're going to be okay, Ruby. Is there anything I can get for them?"

"Well, I mean…" Ruby scratches the back of her neck, not really sure if she should even ask, but does anyway, "You could, y'know, come with. If you want?"

Weiss' brow furrows as she considers that. "Would that be okay with your dad? And them?"

Ruby laughs and grabs her hand, pulling the white-haired girl in the direction of where Taiyang had disappeared to, "Don't be silly."

YANG

 _The brush travels slowly through her silken blond hair, only just slightly taming the wild, fiery curls and twists of the tresses that cascade down the length of her back. Yang sits, legs crossed, her eyes closing as a warm, tender hand drags their nails lightly across her scalp. She sighs, her neck muscles melting under the light massage. She tilts her head back, eyes opening to see Summer behind her, wearing a white sweater. Her red hair cascades around her face in a jagged, asymmetrical bob like Ruby's, her silver eyes gazing back down at the girl._

 _"It's been a long time since I've had a dream like this," Yang admits, smiling bashfully and draping her hand over her eyes. "God, I feel like such a little kid."_

 _"You've been through a lot lately," Summer replies, poking the blond in the side of the neck. "Besides, it's not like I'm cramping your style."_

 _The girl chuckles. "It's not that… I just… It's been a long time."_

 _Summer pauses, putting the brush down beside her. She trails her fingers through Yang's hair, lifting it up into three separate equal parts. The blond enjoys the light tug and pull as her mother works at braiding her hair, tilting her head back forward to give her room to work._

 _"Tell me about her," her mother piques, finger brushing underneath her hair to scoop up straggler tresses. "She must mean a lot to you."_

 _"Blake… You'd like her," Yang breathes, smiling to herself. "She's really cool, and smart, and collected. A little bit of an introvert, but a lot of fun. She reads a lot, too. Read through your whole library in a summer. We had to get more bookcases so she could start filling them. And she's_ so _pretty, it's wrong – like she shouldn't be on this planet, you know?"_

 _Summer laughs softly._

 _"What?" Yang turns her head to shoot her mother a glare. "Don't laugh at me, you asked."_

 _"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the woman coughs to hide another laugh, grinning widely. "Keep going."_

 _"Well… I met her the summer you died," Yang tells her, her mother going back to braiding her hair. "She kind of came into my life right when I needed someone. Stole my spot."_

 _"Under the willow tree?" the redhead woman inquires, folding two sections of hair intricately with a third._

 _"Mhmm," the blond drawls, looking up at the ceiling. She leans back on her hands._

 _Summer smiles. "Tai and I used to take you and your sister there to 'fish', do you remember?"_

 _"I remember," Yang answers, feeling the cool river water flowing around her ankles and hearing the shrieks of a reluctant Ruby when she touches a fish she caught, as though the memories were real. Laughter echoes in the reaches of her mind, an image of her father bent over her sister while Summer held Yang back from being swept into the depth of the water by a fish. Her lips tremble at the corners and she forces a big, lopsided, toothy grin as a tear wells up in her eye. "Of course I remember. I never told Blake, but that place has been important to me…"_

 _"She knows," Summer chirps, "She might not know how important, but you met one another there. That place is special now, for the both of you."_

 _"It's where I told her I love her," Yang admits._

 _"That's lame," her mother deadpans._

 _A bark of laughter tears out of the blond. "Yeah! I know, I know…"_

 _When Summer runs out of hair to braid, she throws her arms around Yang's neck and pulls the girl into a loose hug. Her chin rests on top of Yang's head, snuggling into the unruly mane. The girl closes her eyes, feeling that the dream was about to draw to an end – and no amount of her ability to lucidly dream would bring it back. She puts her hands over her mother's, letting out a slow breath._

 _Sighing, Summer murmurs, "Yang."_

 _"Hm?"_

 _The redhead squeezes her daughter tightly, softly telling her, "I never got to have this talk with you, but I'm going to tell you now – love is hard. We do scary things for the people we love – tolerate, accept, sacrifice. It's a whirlwind that changes us and the way we think, forever. And it's going to be a lot of pain, because love is never easy and every relationship has its issues – and not just romantic ones. So you gotta promise me one thing, okay?"_

 _"Okay," Yang says, arching an eyebrow in curiosity._

 _When Summer raises her pinky, Yang raises her left hand, her little finger extending out in return._

 _"Don't you ever give up, 'kay?" Summer proposes with a smile._

 _The girl wraps her pinky finger about her mother's and answers, "Promise."_

 _As soon as the word leaves her mouth, Summer's skin begins to sublimate into white petals that fall over her. Yang closes her eyes, the scent of roses filling her nose as the petals wash over her face, the warmth of her mother behind her replaced with cool, empty air. The petals dance as they fall, passing through Yang before disappearing through the floor, as though they'd never been material in the first place._

A dip in her mattress wakes her up. Lilac eyes flutter open exhaustedly, her gaze flickering down to her left side. In a hoodie, with bleary golden eyes with dark bags beneath them, Blake crawls onto the side of the bed. The girl pauses when Yang's eyes meet hers, her hand pausing midair as she was reaching for the blankets. Blinking slowly, Yang smiles at her, murmuring, "My waking up never stopped you before."

She winces internally at the dry, hoarse grind of her voice.

Blake's hood twitches at the top of her head. She replies, "I just… I…"

Yang pulls the covers back and arches her arm so that the girl could use it as a pillow. "Don't be shy."

Blake curls up against her side, her head resting delicately on the blond's arm. She's careful to put her arm across Yang's hips instead of her abdomen, seemingly conscious of the fact that the blond had endured a broken rib. Yang pulls the covers over her, tucking her in as best as she could with one arm. The dark-haired girl's breath passes over Yang's shoulder in soft puffs through her lips. Yang doesn't mind, enjoying the warmth that it blows across her collar. The blond's arm curls up behind Blake, lightly hold onto her side, pressing her gently closer.

 _She's cold,_ Yang realizes sleepily, allowing her warm hand to trail slowly along Blake's side. She wiggles her legs closer to Blake's, who gasps at the sudden, hot contact of Yang' thigh against her own. Besides the hospital gowns and Blake's sweater, the girls aren't exactly fully covered, their skin touching as the skirts of the gown catch under the blankets due to the movement.

"Yang?" she questions, eyes flying wide open.

"Shh," Yang purrs, tangling her legs between and over the faunus'. Their feet interlock a little when she's done, Blake's cold toes pressed beneath Yang's feet. "You're freezing."

Relaxing into the blond's touch, Blake's fingers gently tighten around the point of Yang's hip. Closing her eyes, she nuzzles into her muscular shoulder and sighs, "I wasn't sure you'd want to cuddle with me."

"I always want to cuddle with you, Blake," the boxer replies, enjoying the sensation of the girl's nails on her skin. "Even better now that I'm practically naked, right?"

The artist's lip quirk up at that. "You're the worst."

Yang grins.

Heat begins to build beneath the covers, but that only draws the girls closer. They wrap up in one another's arms, neverminding one another's light sheen of sweat as sleep threatens to take them both away. Blake's breathing starts to even out as Yang just begins to feel her consciousness slip. Yang's not sure if she's going in and out, her consciousness piquing from time to time as a soft, rumbling vibration emanates from Blake's throat, vibrating through her chest.

The world falls away around them, and there's no machines surrounding them in the hospital room, no wires connecting to Yang's finger and no IV stuck inside of her arm. Softly, Yang places a gentle kiss on Blake's nose, whispering, "I love you, Blake."

Eyes opening sleepily, two molten gold eyes meet her's. Blake tilts her chin up, pressing a warm, lingering kiss into Yang's jawline. Her lips hover against her to whisper, "I love you too, Yang."

There's a moment of victory between them that they share in with a mutual smile, their arms tightening around one another, their legs squeezing together carefully. They listen to each other's breath, feel one another's pulse beneath their flushed skin. Sleep comes once more for the both of them; their dreams carrying them off together.


	17. Chapter 16: Volume 1 Epilogue

High School Epilogue

Stopping in front of the photography wall, Yang gazes up at a progression of ten photographs. She smiles at them, her eyes wandering from picture to picture. There's one of the day she and Blake went to their bench and Yang snapped an impromptu photo. Most of them are of them together, but she puts them in such an order that indicates their bond. She remembers posing on the ground beneath the willow tree so Blake could take a picture of her watching the blond, and then they took a photo of them both beneath the willow tree. It progresses slowly, a picture of coffee between the two of them, one photo of Yang simply walking through the field towards the camera with the light shining down on her, and one of them together, holding hands and looking into one another's eyes.

It was a special project that Blake had had to rush to finish, their injuries keeping them from school work for a long time since the incident with Adam Taurus.

After his arrest, Adam Taurus had been deported to Menagerie – the country of his citizenship – for trial. The last the blond heard, he was behind bars on charges of cruel and unusual punishment and attempted murder – charges which racked up to a huge number of years behind bars. The better news, Yang thinks, is that he was also to commit to weekly therapy sessions and exercises to help him learn to deal with his aggression. There's a part of her that hates the man, but even she could understand the value of rehabilitation.

As Qrow promised, Russet James was allowed to go free from charges for his help. The cops had promised to leave him alone, as long as he behaved himself in Patch – which he did and then some. He began to work with Junior at his club as well as his garage, where he'd had the opportunity to apologize to Yang for his involvement in person.

Yang, though she was sure she would be, wasn't angry with him.

But that's not to say that she's fine.

Remembering the beatings makes her hands tremble, and sometimes she wakes up in a cold sweat from a nightmare recounting those days. It's not been a lot of time since then, and her therapist had told her it was understandable for her to have a period of time of paranoia and depression. Yang wasn't paranoid, though she certainly was depressed.

The bell rings and she continues to look at the photos, lost in thoughtful reverie.

After she'd been allowed out of the hospital, she realized just how much her family had been affected by all of this. They'd been searching for her the entire time she was gone; Qrow'd gone sober and Taiyang had found reason to focus, but Ruby had fallen apart in her absence. Yang could tell immediately that her sister was different when they'd seen each other – the girl told her she'd quit soccer to focus more on other things, those being her old habit of tinkering and some boxing training from their dad. She seemed…detached, but Yang wouldn't let her slip into a depression under her watch.

 _I'll never let anything scare her like that again._

Yang's hastiness to follow Adam into the school had been her undoing, her confidence in her abilities leading her into a situation she knew was dangerous. She had been rash, and as a result, she'd put Blake's life in danger, and terrified her family. She can't forgive herself for it; if she had've been less reckless, none of this would've happened. Adam made a bet on her arrogance that he won, and she's determined to change that part of her. If it was in her power, she would not allow something like this to happen ever again.

Never.

"Hey, you." Blake's voice calls out to her, and Yang turns right into a poke to the cheek. Lilac eyes blink as she returns to earth, smiling sheepishly as the girl accuses her, "You're about a hundred thousand kilometers away, aren't you?"

"I'm here now," Yang tells her, realizing the hand at her side was being held and she hadn't even noticed. She tightens her fingers around Blake's, murmuring, "Sorry. I got lost in thought."

"It's okay," the girl responds, her thumb brushing comfortingly along Yang's. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah."

They manage to get out of the building before the student hoard flows through the halls. Outside, it's a sunny day, typical of late May in Patch. It's only slightly humid, with the ocean breeze blowing a pleasant breeze across the island. Dandelions were in full bloom across the fields, turning once-green expanses into yellow and white. Their fluffy seeds fly about in the air with even the lightest of winds.

Today, Yang feels a little better. The good weather has a revitalizing effect on her, even if her mood lately has been down. Blake's touch does something to her, too – calms her down, she thinks.

Glancing towards the dark-haired girl, she admires the subtle blush of her cheeks and the dimple she gets when she has a tiny smile on her face. Blake looks good today, her hair tied back in a knot that she fashioned with the ribbon of her bow, which still lingers on her head. She wears a long, loose see-through blouse over a dark purple tank top and a pair of black leggings. On her feet are two different colours of converse, a gold one and a purple one, a fashion sense that Yang mirrors on her own feet. They swapped a shoe from one another's pair to pull off that look, and Yang can't help but admire the corny sentiment of it.

"You look good today," Yang tells her, smiling wide.

Blake dips her head as her cheeks redden further. "Thanks. You do, too."

An endearing new attitude had come from both of them, now that the two had unofficially solidified their relationship. For Yang, Blake had started to play a more bashful card every now and then, taking her flirtations seriously. Blake had told her that the blond, in turn, has been more tenderly playful than ever – shamelessly affectionate no matter where they were.

"Do I get to take you to prom?" Yang inquires, swinging their arms.

A breeze carries a dandelion seed onto her face, plopping it right on her nose. Yang flinches when it touches her, the fuzz tickling her skin unexpectedly.

With a giggle, Blake reaches over to pluck it from her face, letting the wind carry it away. She smirks up at the blond, answering, "I'll think about it."

"If you let me," Yang starts, winking at the dark-haired girl, "I can promise an unforgettable after party. And a lot of cleavage."

"Oh, well, in that case how could I say no?" Blake laughs.

"You don't," the blond shoots back.

Their hands squeeze simultaneously. The trees along the path block most of the sun, but light trickles through in sporadic patches between the thick leaf cover. Yang enjoys watching the light as it dances across Blake's form, the way her honey eyes turn to molten cinders as the rays reflect off of them. Her hair shines like silk, and Yang can't help it when she reaches over to tuck a curl of hair behind her ear.

Gestures like those had become casual between them, their touches frequent. Yang enjoys this intimacy, revelling in the feeling she gets whenever Blake leans into her, or whenever her arm comes up around the blond's waist. Their personal space bubbles had begun to include one another, and neither of the girls seemed to mind that very much. Blake, being the less touchy-feely of the two, even seemed to enjoy the constancy of their contact.

Like clockwork, their feet bring them to their spot.

The leaves of the willow tree fall in thick spindles, the leaves a dusty dark green. They don't mind the dandelions all over the grass, standing at the edge of the river. Yang drapes her arm across Blake's shoulders, who in turn slides an arm around her waist. Her dark-haired head comes to rest upon a bare, muscular shoulder. Yang kisses the top of her head lightly, reflecting on all the memories this place holds for her.

If there was a single spot one could call their own in the world, this place beneath the willow tree was that spot. It was a singular location throughout the scenes of her life – a place she walked by daily, a place she'd picnicked and fished at with her family, the place she'd met the love of her life. If a life could be described in places and things, Yang would describe hers in the beauty of this tiny corner of the world – where the willow tree grows deep emerald of thick ropes of leaves, and the river trickles by the lush grass, dandelions, and other tiny blue clusters of flowers that grow along its bank. No matter where she would go in the world, this place would forever represent her most important moments – the decisions that shaped her for the rest of her life.

But this place was not just important to her.

"Yang…" Blake pulls away, and Yang's arm slips off of her obediently. The girl takes a step forward, honey gold eyes glassy with emotion. There's a vulnerable flame in her eyes, love and wanting combined with fear. Yang meets her gaze when she looks up at her, smiling reassuringly at the dark-haired girl of her dreams. The expression seems to have the desired effect, Blake returning the smile with a little, relaxing exhale. "I wanted to thank you."

"For what?" Yang chirps in the silence, tilting her head curiously.

Blake plays with her fingers for a moment, before dropping them at her sides. Her body language opens, her shoulders relaxing and her chin tilting up, a nervous but sure smile lighting up her face as she tells the blond, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Yang. I never dreamed that I'd meet someone like you in the world, who's so ready to accept and understand me…even if she has to wait a long time for me to get the courage to do the same. I want to make this, you and I, official… and, I know, there's something you need from me first…"

Yang's eyes widen a fraction, but she says nothing as Blake's hand raises to her bow. Her fingers pick through the bow, trapping the end of the ribbon between her thumb and forefinger. It slides easily when she pulls at the end, the bow shrinking into two triangular shapes. Her hair falls as the ribbon loosens, falling in tresses that billow away from her shoulders as a wind sweeps up around them. Blake tugs the ribbon away, allowing the wind to snatch it from her finger tips. Lips parting in surprise, Yang's lilac gaze raises to the two cat-like ears on the top of her head, fuzzy and black. They flick simultaneously as the wind passes by them. Yang's heart swells at the sight of the girl of her dreams with no masks, no pesky ribbons to hide behind, at seeing Blake admit to her and to herself who she really is. Golden eyes glow lovingly at her from beneath dark bangs, her smile subdued, trusting, and patient.

Yang can't think of anything to say. She hopes that her smile and her gaze can convey the emotions swelling in her chest at that moment, the overwhelming elation that makes her face flush and a grin explode across her face. She reaches out to the dark-haired girl, to the love of her life, who places her hands in between the blond's warm palms. A part of her kicks herself for not having something snappy, clever, or cute to say in a moment like this.

She's waited years for Blake to finally open up to her, and this was that moment. This was the moment she'd dreamt of, when she could finally explore all that Blake had to offer. When she could finally, finally be allowed to love Blake for everything that she is. The joy of the moment sweeps her up off her feet. Yang can hardly keep herself steady. The ground has crumbled away and the world fades as roiling, tumultuous emotions roil through her – a storm of fire and thunder that crashes down on her with intense force.

Man, who could ever be ready for something like that?

"You had something right about me," Blake whispers, stepping closer to the blond. Their eyes never look away from one another – what else was there in the world to look at, anyway? The faunus' ears tilt back softly as she moves closer, her voice quivering as she admits, "I do want passion. I want an adventure, with maybe just a _little_ danger. I want an epic, legendary love that _consumes_ me."

Yang's heart sputters. Her eyes widen a fraction as Blake leans closer. Her hands climb up the faunus' forearms, holding her elbows and inviting her closer. Blake's fingers find purchase curling into Yang's t-shirt, sealing their bodies gently together. Their breasts press so that they can feel one another's heartbeat, their abdomens grazing as Blake's hands slide around to the small of the blond's back.

"I love you," Blake sighs, their lips just inches away. Her eyes search Yang's, smoldering orbs that hold a promise. "I don't ever want to be without you."

Her breath dances lightly across Yang's lips, drawing her forward. Their lips collide as Blake leans back up against her, pressing fervently together. As they mold together, Blake's hands sliding up Yang's back and Yang's hands reaching up to cup Blake's cheeks, their heads tilt in unison. There was no battle for control. There was no need for dominance. Lips massage in unison, a dance that elicits a tender swipe of the tongue along a bottom lip. They push closer, fingers curling into clothing and brushing through thick locks of black hair. Yang feels her legs go weak, and she clings to Blake for strength – she wonders how she's managing to stay upright, Blake hungrily pushing her closer, and her doing the same in return.

It felt like the first time. Like Yang had never kissed anyone ever before. Like the stars combusted and the world was a blend of intense, blooming colours that spin and spin, chaos and energy. The storm inside of Yang consumes her, and she gets so swept up in Blake's touch, so taken with her scent and touch, it drives away anything wrong. For all she knows, it could've been the first kiss. It certainly was the right one.

It feels too soon when their lungs begin to ache and they have to part for breath. Yang's knees quake as Blake's hold around her waist loosens, the faunus sliding back down onto her feet. Opening her eyes, the blond stares through thick eyelashes at the woman in front of her, her hands combing through her hair, grazing the base of one of her furry ears lightly. Blake leans gently into her touch, her ear twitching into the palm of Yang's hand.

"You can touch," Blake purrs reassuringly, sensing the hesitation.

Obliging, Yang's thumb traverses the expanse of fur that covers the hard shell of her left ear, all the way up to the tip – which folds underneath the light pressure. Blake watches her face, analyzing every expression, and relaxing when she sees nothing but love and wonder. The exploration is slow, careful, Yang at full alert in case she does something wrong.

"Can you hear with these?" Yang wonders out loud, her fingers massaging lightly at the base of her ear. "They move!"

"Yeah," Blake replies with laughter in her voice, smiling at the childish curiosity. "Yeah, I can hear with them."

Turning her gaze back to Blake's eyes, Yang's hand lowers. She slips her arms around the dark-haired girl pressing into her, crossing over her arms to squeeze her gently. The blond pecks the faunus' nose lightly, and confides, "I want you to be my girlfriend, Blake Belladonna."

"Done," the girl breathes, full lips twisting into a loving grin that mimics the blond's.

Above, the tree sways. Wind buffets from behind, pushing the surface of the river in the opposite direction. The ropes of leaves spin and twist together as the breeze passed by, the light dancing over their figures. They kiss once more, seed pods and leaves pirouetting all around them as the wind carries them to the grass underneath the willow tree.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to all the readers and reviewers who read the first volume of this story! This is not the end. See you soon!


	18. Note!

Hey guys!

I know this is kind of a weird move for me to pull, as I haven't posted in awhile. But that's why I've brought you here.

I have a few projects on the go right now, between Red Bloometh the Rose (which is not yet completed), Out There, and a prequel STRQ fic I've fully planned that just needs to be written.

I'd like to know what you guys want to see next! Let me know through PM or a review what your preferences would be. Thanks guys! Hope to hear from you guys soon.

Sincerely,

Crazi

P.S. Just so you all know, I actually have a now and I'm posting my original content there. Check it out! The link is sortacrazi


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